steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Bicycle, Tricycle

"The Law of Fives" CDR EP

Self-released

Genres: electro pop, indie rock

Oct 25 - 31 2004

It's tough to synopsize Bicycle,Tricycle.  An unusual collective of electronic and pop musicians, they feature a wildly rotating line-up and a distinct love of weird, almost novelty-based electro-rock.  The entity known as "Bohb" seems to be the band's principal songwriter and singer, and his alleged "genius" seems to lend itself to the type of ironic worship popularized by The Church of the Sub-Genius.  

Despite Bicycle, Tricycle's confused mix of styles and influences, their songs are surprisingly cohesive and, as a result, solidly successful.  "You Better Beware" is a fine example - it's a silly little pop song, for sure, but multiple listens reveal an intriguingly infectious piece of music.  Hear it three times, and it will be stuck in your head for good.  Opener "Bad Luck (to be superstitious)" is also successful, relying on a funky, repeated base groove and a nice, singalong chorus.  "Chipping" also makes for an appealingly addictive listen; it combines alt. rock accessibility with the band's eclectic uniqueness.  "It's Not Making Sense," on the other hand, seems to lack direction or any sort of melodic consistency, while "Unhealthy" is bland and dryly uncatchy.

The Law of Fives is an inconsistent EP - only three of the five tracks are successful.  However, Bicycle, Tricycle's talent is quite evident in these three songs; at the very least, this band has hinted at a promising future for their wily antics.  I'd love to hear how their debut full-length turns out.

76%

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 5 tracks, distributed by the label, released 2003]