Metroschifter – Encapsulated – Review

Metroschifter

Encapsulated (Doghouse)
by Tim Den

Metroschifter have always experimented, and to impressive results. Encapsulated sees the band continue their tradition of groundbreaking ideas, this time having other bands learn, arrange, play, and record brand new Metroschifter songs. In short, the brilliant concept of having a new Metroschifter album on which Metroschifter does not perform is as breath-taking as it is crazy. Giving each assigned band a rough home-recording of the song, all thirteen artists on Encapsulated are not only well-chosen for the deed, but prove their worth by providing these already well-crafted songs with personal touches that sometimes rival their own work (The Get Up Kids, for example, have never sounded better than on “Impossible Outcomes”). And in many cases, the artists get to do with the Metroschifter songs what they’d never be forgiven for with their own bands. Examples: The Promise Ring playing in minor key (oh my gosh!!!) and using drum machines, Elliott doing a minimalist art soundscape thing, Refused doing all-acoustic, and Ink And Dagger trancing out with electronica and trippy vocals. Of course, let’s not forget that these bands can take such liberties with Metroschifter’s songs because – simply put – Metroschifter’s songs are fucking rad. Even with what appear to be straight renditions of the original demos (Coller, The Enkindles, Rye Coalition), there’s no mistaking Scott Ritcher’s ability to pen great tunes. Encapsulated, as if last year’s Strawberries wasn’t evidence enough, is the work of a monumental band with great cerebral capacity. Marvelous.
(PO Box 8946 Toledo, OH 43623)