STILL SINGLE

A space for thoughts on music and culture, as written by Doug Mosurock and a select handful of individuals. This is intended as a supplement to our regular feature Still Single, published on Dusted Magazine. Updates will run here more frequently, and may feature writing on music not covered in the column. Compact discs are still not accepted for review -- we have more than enough vinyl and the occasional cassette to worry about.

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Doug Mosurock
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May 20, 2009

Bipolar Bear/Talbot Tagora - Abstract Distractions split 10” EP (olFactory)

Bipolar Bear/Talbot Tagora split 10" EP

A warning to the “it’s about the music” types that find everything under the presentation umbrella an unimportant factor when judging an artist’s creative strengths: Dismissal, or even downright disdain, is in the cards when “Bipolar Bear” wins a band-naming conundrum … sound unheard. Even with the Avant 101 title of Abstract Distractions, all jaded and grouchy preconceptions are washed clean by Bipolar Bear’s wonderful microwaving of some mid-90s bent-all-to-hell noise-pop leftovers. It will be a sad day if this is passed up by the A&R rep scenesters working for Fat Possum, Woodsist, and In the Red, but that’s the thing about reality; it is often a sad thing. Bipolar Bear gives the world five blasts of alternately fuzzy/jagged dissonance; a suitable stepping stone towards more adventurous fare like Wildildlife. It’d be off to bed happy and fed if Talbot Tagora’s side didn’t manage to measure up, but TT’s side is what really saves Abstract Distractions from the “records that could appreciate” pile. They put together late-80s Sonic Youth (the best aspects of the same’s subsequent yet worthy imitators) plus 1st-gen NYC No Wave from minds that have more than simply read about 1st-gen NYC No-Wave, like an engine for about half of the story, happily stopping short of an easier assessment. Talbot Tagora is a band to look out for because we won’t know what’s coming. During this era when bands desire homogeneity, unpredictability of any stripe is welcome. (http://www.myspace.com/olfactoryrecords)
(Andrew Earles)

3 years ago • 0 notes