single // Predator EP
This marks the first release on Mute for this Pittsburgh alt.rock three piece, consisting of Phil Boyd (vocals, guitar, Moog), Paul Quattrone (drums) and Jason Kirker (guitar, Moog). I first heard of Modey Lemon on John Peel nearly two years ago, loved them, but couldn't track any of their records down. Looks like that's all about to change.
Three of the four tracks here are raw and gritty, containing enough electric fuzz to satisfy anyone yearning for a return to early Dinosaur Jr or Pussy Galore. However, with interesting chord changes, swathes of Moog white noise, chunky guitars and processed vocals, the band obviously hold strong production values. The positively pastoral acoustic intricacies of 'Left And Dented' prove the band can cut it outside of hardcore, giving off an Arto Lindsay-esque vibe. Lead track 'Predator' is wild but controlled, featuring some lively, shuffling beats and duelling Moog and guitar riffs.
This is an essential purchase for anyone who gives a damn about the future of alt.rock.
single // Crows
'Crows', the second Mute single from Modey Lemon is another slice of preposterously wigged-out rock that takes itself very seriously indeed. Some guitar licks that both Jimi Hendrix and Jon Spencer would find compelling ride roughshod over a fuzzy bass line and some impressively frantic drumming, with a positively fraught but nicely controlled vocal. At just under 3 minutes, despite sounding like an extract from a particularly wild Sonic Youth improv jam, this earnest slice of noisy rock has an undeniably addictive groove that can be listened to over and over, preferably with some judicious headbanging.
If you want to be chilled to your very soul, check out the frankly scary cover of 'Loch Ness Monster'. Coming along like a mediaeval waltz, the track switches between cacophonous noisy guitars and pummelled drums, and sections of plain eerie theremin-esque Moogs and discrete guitar playing. I don't know whether I should be fearing or feeling empathy for the mythical beast, but this almost certainly deserves to be on a teen horror soundtrack. 'Horsepower (Redux)' closes the single, featuring duelling Moogs and guitar loops locking horns with surely unhealthy lo-fi drum kit abuse. It's a delicious alt.rock groove that shows off just how serious these musicians are. They're weird, but I love it.