Procrastinators looking for a last-minute holiday gift that’s sure to impress the music lovers in their life will want to check out Bits, the latest release from Brooklyn trio Oxford Collapse–yet another gem from the Sub Pop treasure chest. Their experimental sound is busy, jittery, wry, and, actually, quite fun. Art rock has never been more accessible than this.
Kicking things off with the driving “Electric Arc,” the band jangles their way into the realm of fellow Brookyln rockers, and frequent touring partners, We Are Scientists. “I can’t remember things/I just don’t know what to do,” singer Michael Pace stresses, instigating a frenzied rock off between his own axe and Dan Fetherston’s stampede of drums.
The band’s grip on listeners’ ears only intensifies with the epic, “Birthday Wars,” which sounds like the explosive urgency of The Wedding Present crammed into Rivers Cuomo’s garage. The haunting, howled final lines are the sound of dying youth: “Part-time lovers and Irish rovers/Party favors, leftovers/In the end we’ll ask our mothers where our brothers have gone.” If you listen to only one song off of this album, make it this one.
While Oxford Collapse project that unmistakable metallic, sightly schizophrenic New York sound, they also possess a melodic brightness suggestive of British twee bands like The La’s and The Pastels. The gentle bittersweet sound of “Featherbeds” and the more hectic “Back of the Yards” would most certainly find themselves at home on NME’s classic C86 compilation tape.
One of Bits‘ more moving moments comes in the form of “Children’s Crusade,” which is every bit the passionate call to arms that its title suggests. Followed up by the intelligent and euphoric, “John Blood,” the band’s savage lyrics are supported by Adam Rizer’s runaway tennis ball bass lines and given a fitting platform for presentation. The poetry of lines like “In independence his name’s created/cut across the forehead, he was razor-bladed,” and “This is the end of the affiliation/The rise and fall of the federation/John Blood is seeing red in his eyes” turn to fire in the care of these gifted artists.
The band’s ability to consistently set powerful, inventive lyrics to powerful, inventive music makes Bits an intense beauty, and an overwhelmingly awe-inspiring aural experience.
–Shelley Peckham
http://www.oxfordcollapse.com/
http://www.myspace.com/theoxfordcollapse
Filed under: Music News & Reviews Tagged: | BITS, c86, Madison WI, madison wi music, Oxford Collapse, the pastels, The Wedding Present, twee, wedding present
[...] True Endeavors | CD Review “Procrastinators looking for a last-minute holiday gift that's sure to impress the music lovers in their life will want to check out 'Bits,' the latest release from Brooklyn trio Oxford Collapse” [...]