Tar... Feathers
Make way for the ocean floor to fall to the surface
Release the Bats
I sure do love it when bands make this reviewing racket easier. So let me express my gratitude to the eccentric Swedish band Tar... Feathers for doing virtually everything right to grab one's attention with this bizarrely titled CD "Make way for the ocean floor to fall to the surface." I hate trying to fit this into a genre, but "stylized art punk" is the general ballpark here, as this very accomplished outfit combines the fluid, disciplined guitar work and tension-laced vocals of multi-talented band leader Marcus Nyke with the utterly exemplary rhythm section of Morton Billeskalns (drums) and Pal Olovsson Rodenius (bass). Additional programming/drumming is also provided by Simon Stalhamre. The sleeve design itself is colorful and weird, and--bless my soul--a lyric sheet is provided. This is enormously helpful, because Nyke's voice here could be a dealbreaker for some. It's like he sings with clenched fists, in a manner that maxmizes both the tension in the lyrics and the dark emotions (often about social detachment or situational anger) powering many of the compositions. So you tend to feel tense yourself while listening, although the masterful playing acts as a reassuring buffer. "Breathing through a straw" exemplifies the potently effective interaction between the no-nonsense guitar and ace rhythm section; the band establishes a dynamic instrumental core that stays anchored for the entire recording. "Half a sentence" has a gritty energy that straddles the line between "arty" and "punk" with the former winning by a hair, and Nyke's occasional yelps or short shrieks act as a kind of weirdness beacon for the aural traveler. The moody "You are lucky to have nothing" has a captivating instrumental intro and gains from guest vocal harmonies by Anna Tomlin. It's great fun following the lyrics throughout, when they're encased in such willful nonconformity. Sample: "Someone seems to have it all/Someone else tries too hard/Why do some things float?/Why are bunnies hopping?" This may be uneasy listening, but it's truly distinctive. And since on that one and "Tada" Nyke is pretty much playing/programming everything himself, it's hard not to conclude that the guy is probably some sort of wacky genius. At any rate, for consistency of vision and overall sonic excellence, this is one of the best albums on the weirder side of Swedish rock since The State of Floral Beings' last CD. If you can get used to Nyke's edgy vocals, you'll find yourself enjoying one heck of a cool disc.
- Kevin Renick
