The Boo Radleys + Warm Jets
Most bands have always had a ‘sound’, a gimmick even, something in their music that very swiftly marks it out as being created by a particular group. Very often, it’s most noticeable in the voice; no one could mistake Iggy Pop or Liam Gallagher for anyone else. And so when presented with an album with no vocals whatsoever, both musician and listener are freed from the constraints that the pigeon-holing described above enforces. Nevertheless, you doubtless want to know who this trio actually sound like? Well, their only British tour to date saw them supporting Tortoise, and yes, Trans Am do indulge in a lot of the sonic navel-contemplation associated with Tortoise, but mix it up with such a wide variety of other styles that they absolutely refuse to be pinned down. ‘Night Dreaming’ and ‘Night Dancing’ could easily have been pulled from Aphex Twin’s ‘Selected Ambient Works’, the former a soothing drone and pastel wash of sound, the latter a purely percussive exploration into distorted electronica. On ‘Motr’ and ‘Carboforce’, Trans Am betray their love for rock styled by the early 70’s, but are structured more like the criminally underrated Polvo (labelmates on City Slang) than any prog ‘classic’. With big hooklines and a monotonous driving bass, ‘Rough Justice’ is rooted in 80’s American hardcore, outdoing even BigBlack with an abrasive white noise finale. This is Trans Am’s first full length album, and many will criticise its ‘experimental’ nature, with a sneer on their lips and a soul lined with lead. These critics are ill-equipped to deal with people who love music so much they are driven to re-invent it constantly in order to drive out staleness and mediocrity from your record collection. If you love music, and indeed the very nature of sound itself, then you should at least give Trans Am a chance to explain themselves.(8)
Norm
