Ed Wood Junior are not the unknown love child of the director of the same name however, they are a special thing and man, do they know how to rock. Their unique mixture of rock and electronic beats can make for an odd combination at times but they really make it work. There could have been an opportunity for the album overall to have a samey feel however each track has an element to it that ensures that you don’t feel like you are just listening to a repeat; songs twist from rock into electro beats, mathematical patterns and haunting sounds which keep drawing you in and your mind wondering what is going to come next. The drumming throughout this album is amazing and even with all the other elements on each song, I constantly find my attention being drawn back to the beats and rhythms being blasted with such fierceness and energy on the drums.
Having had this album going round on my music player for a couple of weeks, I tried to work out exactly what the album brought as a whole. As I did this it made me become conscious the album doesn’t need to be anything as a joined up whole and that rather than looking for the connection between them all, I realised each song should be appreciated for its own individual sound and feeling. Though of course it can be enjoyed as a whole musical journey of different elements pulled together but as single songs they jump on you blowing away whatever random thoughts you might have been having and draw you into their mesmerising patterns and blasting drums & guitars.
Listening to the album I get the feeling that these guys would sound great live and in the right venue an experience not to be missed. Tracks such as ‘Minitel’ and ‘Babtrip’ have interesting instrumental sounds and basslines that would fill the air and are made for crowds of people dancing together as one before breaking loose into individuals going mental. This album is a great late night listen as all the sounds and beats seem amplified in the quietness of the darkness and could almost form colours and pictures. With titles which make no sense you would almost think Ed Wood Junior were trying to be pretentious but the names are not just quirky for the sake of it but are like a sign post for the odd combinations which are contained within each song. If you were looking for just a rock sound or just an arty electronic sound, then this album is not for you. But if you are looking for something a bit different and to be surprised, then dive right in and see where the songs take you.
Released October 24 2011 on Swarm Records
Echo Rating (((????)))
Posted by Lauren Carnall
