Burdocks
What We Do Is Secret
(Black Mountain Music)
After all the avant garde electronic music and rock bands pushing the boundaries in some way or another, sometimes I have to admit that I just have to clear my head with a bit of rock and roll. While I have several mainstays in my collection that I go back to, this new release from Burdocks definitely falls into the category and has found its way into my player several times over the course of the past couple weeks to break up the ambience.
Two basses, a guitar, drums, and two vocalists belt it out on What We Do Is Secret and the foursome earns some bonus points with the fact that they converted an old ice cream truck into a working tour van complete with sleeping bunks. Self-proclaimed "scrappy rock," the album busts out of the gate right away with "Snakes" with some jerky time signature changes and a chugging rhythm section offset by two-part vocals that are at times melodic and at other times screamed. "Let's Cut Each Other" chugs along at another frenetic pace and reminds me of the earlier, more aggressive work of the Promise Ring (think Horse Latitudes).
Although there are plenty of hooks to grab the listener, the standout track on the album is "Made In The World," which features the most furious riffage on the entire release butted up againsand Seth Smith sound like they're out of breath each time they finish a line. They're also at their best when they blow the doors off the place and leave you wanting more, and What We Do Is Secret lags a bit towards the end with the inclusion of several tracks that run at and over six minutes apiece. Although it's a good shot at a smidge of variety, the two longer pieces ultimately don't hold up as well as the more tightly-wound shorter ones. If you want a little screaming (and the occasional swear) with your straight-up rock music, this little album provides just that.
Rating: 6.75
