The PlatMaps
"Treason Marks the Trail" CD
Static
In Volumes
Genres: lo-fi, indie rock
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the label
Feb 9 - 15 2004 |
The PlatMaps, also known as Kurt Garrison (of This
Sceptered Isle, whose EP I reviewed a long time ago), are
responsible for this lo-fi, angular rock nugget put out on Pittsburgh
microlabel Static In Volumes. And while this EP is very obscure,
the melodic, jangly "Why Do You Always Act That Way?" did
make it onto one of Magnet Magazine's new music compilations awhile
back. Though Treason Marks The Trail suffers from some awful cover
art , the songs themselves are very promising, in a noisy, early Sebadoh
and Archers of Loaf sort of way. Some tracks are more
energetic than others, of course, but many of the EP's songs come off
as indie rock with punk rock mentality. "Lighten Up, Old
Man (you'll be dead soon)", for example, is like an old DIY punk
tune. "The Big Prize," on the other hand, is spacey,
experimental noise rock. The EP's best track is, arguably,
"A Triumphant Return," which is very interesting in its
jumpy, scattered approach. It could be clearer, but the
enjoyable nature of its shrill, cutting guitars and bouncy tempo is
impossible to deny. The aforementioned "Why Do You Always
Act That Way?" is also a highlight.
I recommend this album to lo-fi indie rock fanatics. Though
its far from being accessible to the mainstream, there is a certain
primitive, melodic charm to The PlatMaps' sound.
81%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
