The Book of Knots

(Arclight)
by Craig Regala

Razor-sharp recording of dunt-throb tales. Wiley veterans of the art punk/indie wars roll out a beaut! Slow drag tempos working the emotional terrain old folk-doom (the tune “Waltzing Matilda” etc.) lent to Melvins/Barkmarket/Jucifer power surge. I mean, where do you think anything comes from? Heritage + individuality + currency (nowness) = art. I said it, Socrates probably said it, these guys did it.

The heaviness comes from the slow swing of the drums welded to the drag-push of the bass. Think the bass player’s first band (Pere Ubu-pre-rinky-dinkness), lifts from dub and metal (read: Sabbath). The melodies and texture are superbly laid on top and woven into the structure by a noble cast of forty friends of the four core members. Go to www.arclightrecords.com to find out which of ’em played in Swans, or with Stomp, Frank Black, Unsane, Tom Waits, etc.

When Jon Langford (Mekons, et. al.) steps to the mic for a sailor’s tale the good parts of Public Imagine Limited’s Second Edition and The Clash/Gang Of Four’s ragged ass dub-art punk become mulch for this stuff. Pipe organ, violin, melodica, Gregorian Chant, vocals; female, male… it’s all here… cuz it needs to be. The kinda thing you could see popping up on Ipecac or RekordsRekords.
(1403 Rio Grande St. Austin, TX 78701)