Whether or not you have read the comparisons, it’s pretty much impossible to listen to this record without thinking about Slint if you have ever heard Spiderland. Because these guys have heard Spiderland, and they want you to know that they liked it. They liked it a lot.

That makes this record sound like it’s derivative, and at times it really, really is. But, fortunately, this band is not merely a Slint Wannabe. They are, rather, a Slint Wannabe that has added additional dimensions to Slint’s sound. That means that, if you like Slint, you will likely really enjoy this record, even as you listen to it and think “Jesus does this ever sound a lot like Spiderland.”

This music is much closer to hardcore, at times, than Slint ever got on that record. That’s regressive in some ways, as one of the things that makes Slint important is how they moved on from hardcore, but it also serves to distinguish this record and this band, and helps them stand apart from a band they otherwise sound way too much like. Also, there’s a female singer sometimes. Also, sometimes they actually sing. That’s basically how they’re different.

There were a lot of bands that emerged post-Spiderland that aped the slow, loud-quiet thing – few of them that I’ve heard have sounded this close to the original record, but most of the ones I’ve heard moved closer on the spectrum to slowcore or post rock or both. This is the only album I’ve heard to date that moved closer to hardcore and I must say that this sound has an appeal to me that slowcore doesn’t have. So even though this record is pretty derivative, I can’t help but really like it.

It’s probably not deserving of this high a rating, but there you are.

7/10

PS Can someone explain to me how this is post rock? (I classified it as such only because RYM does.) While you’re at it, explain to me how Slint is post rock.