Reviews of new releases from Sparta, Kevn Kinney, Django Rheinhardt and Dillinger Four.
Sparta Wiretap Scars
On the very cusp of their immersion into the consciousness of the mainstream at large, El Paso spaz-core quintet At The Drive-In did about the punkest thing they could — they broke up. The two afroed fifths of the outfit (read: the easily recognizable guys) immediately moved on to other projects; ATDI guitarist/founder Jim Ward took some time off before reuniting with his former drummer (Tony Hajjar) and bassist (now-guitarist Paul Hinojos), grabbing former Belknap bassist Matt Miller and soldiering on as Sparta.
Earlier this year, the foursome's Austere EP showcased a more mature and cohesive sound, albeit one still in the works. The emergence of the full-length Wiretap Scars, however, belies the notion of a complete departure. While ATDI's schizoid, stop-and-go rhythmic blitzkriegs are largely a thing of the past, Ward's jagged, thoughtfully discordant guitar style and shouted vocal presence were obviously the cornerstone of his former band's identity. Other shades certainly color Sparta's soundscapes, from groovecore pioneers like Quicksand to more progressive old-school Brit-wave, and the songs are more, you know, song-y, but Wiretap Scars won't escape repeated (and qualified) comparisons.
The best tunes here, perhaps surprisingly, are the ones that leave At The Drive-In most resolutely behind. Air, the dynamic, meandering second cut, sets the bar early and high. Until the soaring, New Romantic-tinged and ultimately unmatched highlight Collapse comes along, that is. In general, these moodier, more atmospheric tracks provide the standouts, which also include the Radiohead-esque Cataract and piano-driven Echodyne Harmonic. Of the weighty stuff, the jarring opener Cut Your Ribbon, throbbing RX Coup and oceanic Assemble The Empire best juxtapose melody, heavy groove and idiosyncratic riffage, but everything that blasts will please (especially fans of you-know-who). Only Sans Cosm and Red Alibi fail to hold up here, and it's mainly a context thing — coming from a less intrepid or ambitious outfit, they might be at the top of the catalog.
Were it possible to judge Wiretap Scars on its own, the disc would come off as above-average math-core that's not afraid of either hooks or rocking out. But you can't hear it without At The Drive-In coming into play — it's as simple as that. And having said it, Sparta is revealed in a more flattering light, as a more mature and headphone-friendly, but still adventurous act that takes its past into account while nonetheless moving on. (DreamWorks Records)
—Scott Harrell
Kevn Kinney Broken Hearts and Auto Parts
On Broken Hearts and Auto Parts singer/songwriter Kevn Kinney, formerly of Drivin' N Cryin', operates in a mode of honesty that's immediately endearing. The album breaks no new ground by way of sonic thrust — sparse, rootsy arrangements with oft-heard chord progressions informed by folk, country and rock make up the bulk of the record. Nothing complex, experimental or intrusive, it's all a simple backdrop for Kinney the storyteller. He has a nasal voice with limited range, but, like Neil Young or Bob Dylan (obvious influences), he has complete mastery of it. Broken Hearts and Auto Parts is an intense document rife with passion that's far too sincere to sound sentimental, maudlin or mushy. It's a truthful assessment of the human condition that comes damn close to standing shoulder to shoulder with 1970s confessional singer/songwriter albums like Joni Mitchell's Blue, Cat Stevens' Tea For the Tillerman Dylan's Blood on the Tracks and such contemporary classics in the same vein as Lucinda Williams' Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. (Evil Teen, www.kevnkinney.com)
—Wade Tatangelo
Django ReinhardtDjangologyFrench gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who died in 1953, remains the most formidable European contributor to the jazz idiom. He was certainly the first European jazz musician that truly mattered. This generous 23-song (74-minute) collection was recorded in 1949, reuniting Reinhardt with his longtime collaborator, violinist Stephane Grappelli. The titanic twosome are backed by an Italian rhythm section of minor repute who come off as essentially nondescript. That hardly matters, though. The music has a palpable joie de vivre, a kind of Old World sweetness that's lifts up the heart. The program includes an array of standards — Paper Moon, Beyond the Sea, All the Things You Are, Honeysuckle Rose, I Got Rhythm — along with a few originals and more obscure songs. Most often, the group is swinging fast and breezy, although the handful of ballads lends a nice touch of melancholy. Djangology, with its relatively good sound quality, is an ideal entry point to a true master. (Bluebird/BMG, www.bluebirdjazz.com)
—Eric Snider
Dillinger Four Situationist Comedy
Just when you think that punk won't ever sound fresh, compelling or revolutionary ever again, Minnesotan basement insurgents D4 return with what will probably stand four months from now as the best fastrawk record of 2002. Seething with songwriting savvy, righteous outrage and absolutely flattening Les Paul tones, Situationist Comedy single-handedly revives the idea that punk was always supposed to be about more than the search for the perfect hook; that if you're really, really good at what you do, they get thrown off like fallout anyway. It's a soundtrack to that moment that comes at least once a day, when one reflects that almost everything about American culture and society (beer and friendship gleefully excepted) can seem a bit fucked at times. Elitists will undoubtedly say that it's not as good as Midwestern Songs of the Americas. They're right. It's better. It's perfect. (Fat Wreck Chords, www.fatwreck.com)
—Scott Harrell
This article appears in Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2002.