Like Short Songs for Short Attention Spans and The Smell of Victory before it, Generation XXX has many, many 30-60 second rants set to a couple chords.
Evidently, some guy started New Eden, joined Steel Prophet for a couple albums, then thought it’d be a swell idea to resurrect his old band. I disagree.
An album of rare and previously unreleased material, ranging from 1994 to 1997 (when he went off the deep end with his nightmare, ambient twitches and gurgles).
Another round of “Ballroom Blitz,” “Born to be Wild,” and “American Woman” covers loom on the horizon. The echoes of the last round have only recently faded.
The delicate moments provide a welcome, tranquil contrast to Neurosis’ signature, bone-crushing guitar and drum-riddled tunes. Steve Albini at the helm.
Gawky vocals sung with just enough cracking and off-keyness to satisfy the emo kids, and just enough dissonant guitar chords to attract fans of Sonic Youth.