Playing a rote indie sound, and incorporating even parts rectified guitars and feedback whines, droning and semi-offensive, quasi-clever lyrics, bland bass and percussion work, The Wagner Logic sounds like the musical effort of any given teenage basement band. That seems to be the sound they are after, though whether it’s purposeful, ironic hipness or just plain lack of talent remains to be seen. Easiest to Grab is nothing more than weak Beatles emulation.
Press Play – Album Reviews
The Wagner LogicEasiest to Grab**1/2Playing a rote indie sound, and incorporating even parts rectified guitars and feedback whines, droning and semi-offensive, quasi-clever lyrics, bland bass and percussion work, The Wagner Logic sounds like the musical effort of any given teenage basement band. That seems to be the sound they are after, though whether it’s purposeful, ironic hipness or just plain lack of talent remains to be seen. Easiest to Grab is nothing more than weak Beatles emulation.-Robert Seitzinger
MC FrontalotSecrets from the Future***There are some scary styles of music, like Norwegian death metal, horror-core rap and Hank Williams Jr. But at the forefront of “Eek! Turn it the fuck off!” music is nerd-core, a style blending white guys who dig hip-hop beats and Linux references in one place. Enter nerd-core godfather MC Frontalot, a bespectacled belly-body spitting rhymes about evolution, blogging and Asperger’s Disease (a form of autism). He informs with his hooks and drops clever net-nerd references with each verse. Secrets from the Future probably annoys the shit out of most people, but when taken for what it is, the album and the artist are decent. Musically, the album is fine, with pianos, guitars and heavy beats used to great effect. Long and short, true hip-hoppers will hate, and nerds will holla back. And if you can’t get your system to blast this hyphy shizzle, read the fucking manual (RTFM).-Robert Seitzinger
Caesar Pink and the Imperial OrgyGospel Hymns for Agnostics and Atheists****An album by The Imperial Orgy is a truly rare thing. This band has been around for 15 years and only came out with one album, and most of the tracks on it weren’t even originals. Gospel Hymns is an EP with only four songs and is only their second recording. For a band whose concerts are designed to provoke members to engage in an orgy with each other (literally), I guess this isn’t that strange.
Gospel is where all of our modern American music came from and is still the best of all of it, and it’s only fair that the non-religious should have access to it as well. The first two tracks do not disappoint, with a great fusion of bluesy gospel and almost trance-inducing beats. The second two descend into a slower almost reggae feel that seems a little out of place, but all of the songs are very good. If they spent more time on creating music and less time trying to induce orgies, The Imperial Orgy could be a great band. As it is, this is a rare chance to get their music without the orgy, and it’s absolutely worth it.-Aaron Kelly
