In the early 1990’s there was a wave of bands whose notion was playing droning music whilst gazing at shoes. Feedback drenched music which would envelop your ears and make you feel like you were on drugs in the middle of a wind tunnel. That’s what All The Saints sound like; a heady combination of wall of sound guitars mixed in with sweet vocals. ‘Intro to Fractions’ is the second album from this Georgia band and builds on the earlier template of My Bloody Valentine and Spiritualized.
Starting at full speed with ‘Half Red, Half Way’, the pace hardly lets up for the next 35 minutes. Moments of brevity and melody interject the wall of sound at times giving some respite from the onslaught of drone. It’s all rather enjoyable also if you’re of the mind that loud is where it’s at. Repeated listening opens up avenues of psychedelia such as the excellent ‘EIO’ or ‘Alteration’ which sounds almost like it could have come off Primal Screams XTRMNTR album. It is moments like these that demonstrate there is something clever going on with this band.
It does get a little bit much after a while and maybe All The Saints recognise this as the title track suddenly slows the pace down into a woozy psychedelic anthem which provides a few minutes of respite. It is the best song on the album as it allows the band to stretch out a bit more. This slowing down is also reflected on the last song ‘Buster’ which curiously sounds like a cross between early Bunnymen and Joy Division. It is at odds with the rest of the album but is maybe the most approachable.
It is difficult to discern what the songs are about but then this isn’t really the point. This is not folk music, this is head music, to coin a phrase, and is best listened to in a darkened room with headphones on.
Released January 30 through Souterrain Transmissions
Posted by Martyn Coppack
