Jersey Beat - Issue #77 3/2005
Landspeedrecord! Intermission
This Baltimore post-punk powerhouse has refashioned itself repeatedly over the years, expanding from its early three-piece lineup to a quartet, going through a couple of different drummers and bassists, and incorporating keyboards and, more recently, a cellist. Yet the core of LSR! remains guitarist/singer Charley Jamison's emphatic vocals and bizarre lyrics, and a whipcrack rhythm section that's always been among the best in the nation (currently it's anchored by drummer Jeff Bradford and bassist Paul Gier.)
In the past, LSR!'s hallmark has been frenetic post-punk spazz-outs about weird topics like Viagra clinics, having sex on the fax machine at work, dead girlfriends, and god complexes. If anything, Jamison's gone even deeper into the psychotic cesspool that is his mind; Intermission goes to some very scary places - mothers dropping babies off of bridges, suicide, and song titles like Oedipus Rex Applause and Malthusian Second Helpings. Welcome To Baltimore describes the life-sucking dead end that is the band's homebase, and basically explains why all the good Baltimore bands always break up. Musically, the band's gotten darker too, but richer at the same time. Corrie LoGiudice's cello provides a sonorous bottom end that adds an orchestral feel to songs that tend to unspool at slower tempos with more traditional, almost Beatlesque melodies. That makes Intermission a magical mystery tour of hell, a trip that may leave you disquieted and sickened but still bouncing your head. - Reviewed by Jim Testa
Landspeedrecord! Good Housekeeping
Here's finally a nineteen-song collection of tracks as unpredictable as the one-sheet (record label info page) claims. The vocals recall a young David Byrne with caffeine cysts on the brain. Two hundred points for Robotic Pornographic Queen, which dies down with bass and ride cymbal momentarily so you'll realize you're singing along loudly with your windows open. Once you've reached Let The Exorcism Begin your neighbors are knocking on your door. Don't move out, just apologize again, and file Good Housekeeping under Ingenious Unpredictable Post-Rock. - Reviewed by Jason Thornberry 2003/2004
Landspeedrecord! Good Housekeeping
File Under: Urgent, herky-jerky, quirky rock
Recommended If You Like: Archers of Loaf, Skeleton Key, Q and Not U
Although a favorite of other DOA writers for some time, this is my first real exposure to Landspeedrecord! and their brand of quirky rock. My first thought is that this Baltimore, Maryland band represents, in all the best ways, everything I loved about the Archers of Loaf without totally copping that band's sound. The music is quirky in structure as well as theme, taking great glorification in songs about Paxil, Alicia Silverstone, interoffice copulation, and other pressing topics. And with singer Charley Jamison's semi-gruff voice, the band at times even sounds similar to old Archers of Loaf, modernized for the new millennium and given a dose of punk-rock sensibility and modern indie-rock instrumentation.
Good Housekeeping is an interesting release, compiling eight "new" songs and 11 other tracks from the band's earlier releases that appear to be tragically out of print. For the uninitiated such as myself, it's the perfect introduction to this highly prolific band even while it will be necessary for the longtime fans, if only for those eight new songs. Those tracks - recorded in part for the band's short full-length album Corporate Secret and an Ambiguous City compilation and finished for this release - are stellar examples of the band's sound, but it's their older songs, dating back to the mid-90s, that are my personal favorites.
Clearly the new ones show a band at the top of their game, playing tighter and with better production, and song titles like "The Paxil Song" and "Robotic Pornographic Queen" are pretty entertaining alone. My favorites, though, are the more entertaining songs. "Accident" is almost irresistibly catchy, with hand-claps and an almost 80s-style vibe that belies the darker tone. And "Alicia Silverstone Shame Spiral," with its uproarious, fast-paced romp of a rhythm, is ridiculously fun.
There's a host of strong material from the band's previous releases as well. The basslines on "Mission From God" are stellar, and the jangly guitar gives me the feel of classic mid-90s alt-rock. "Let the Exorcism Begin" is fun in a dark sort of way, with its combination of keyboards and guitars. "The Bleeding Heart of Cement" is a good example of Jamison's sung/story-telling style of singing with some strong guitarwork and a plodding mood. My favorite songs, though, are some of their older songs. "Dead Girlfriend" is just a riot, with fantastic lyrics and some great guitarwork. "Kilki," too, has a dark, apocalyptic theme, but the thick bass and gruff approach makes this one of my favorite songs.
Landspeedrecord! has clearly been consistent throughout their career, just adding to their ability while retaining their quirky song structures and themes. Their music continues to be up-tempo, aggressive, and catchy. Fans of the band will likely have many of these songs but will require the album for the new tracks, but Good Housekeeping functions best as an introduction to this Baltimore band. Although 19 songs and 60 minutes can be a bit overbearing, Good Housekeeping is a good listen. - Jeff, 2/24/03
Landspeedrecord! Good Housekeeping
This baltimore based band plays a brand of rock music that isn't very easy to classify at all. often times it's got an indie feel to it, other times it's got a melodic rock feel to it, and others it has a punk rock kind of feel to it. This record itself, is a collection of songs that were either previously unreleased, from a split or a comp, or from a now out of print album. sometimes the vocals remind me of at the drive-in kinda vocals. Their humour is very apparent in their song titles and even sometimes the music (songs like i am sharon tate! and alicia silverstone shame spiral are notable signs of their humour), in an often tongue-in-cheek, cynical kind of way. On the same token, while having that brand of humor, they do often get serious, and deal with subjects/events that often come up in modern society. Overall, i would say that this is a pretty solid release. This band is very unique in their sound, and are doing something that's original, and not at all like a lot of the stuff out there today. If you're into indie rock with a twist, you'd definitely wanna check these guys out.
DISCLAIMER: these albums are not reviewed by just some magazine guy. these reviews are reviewed by a guy who is a fan of the music, and who actually cares about what he writes about a band's record. if i don't like the record, i'm going to say i don't like the record. there's no sugar coating on this site, and i think my policy should be appreciated. if the cd sucks, then it sucks. i try to be as unbiased as i can when i review these cds, however, you must understand that i will not hide my feelings of a record just because you sent it to me for free. - 02/2003
Okay... this is the best review EVER!!! It comes from www.garageband.com where people anonymously review other peoples music. I believe they were reviewing Turing Test off of Road To Flight.
"I remember this band - it's the B52's and a dog getting hit with a 2x4. I've heard better drums coming from a KFC bucket. The vocals are well... there aren't enough words in the English dictonary that define shit...um..what's the hook? Got Bait? I caught a shopping cart once. "
Landspeedrecord! Road To Flight
What it is: Whirling Dervish-like intensity from this eclectic Baltimore polit-punk/new wave trio.
What it sounds like: Judgement day at the illegal warehouse party (atop some surprisingly catchy songs).
The skinny: The band claims no religious affiliation, but lead track "Mission From God" sums up their demeanor ("To blow you away with the sound I made"). Own this, if you can deal.
Modern Fix 12/2002
Landspeedrecord! Road To Flight
There’s a guy who lives downstairs from me who I always see smoking and he’s always wearing a shirt that says “I love Robots”. On my way to the mailbox yesterday I struck up a conversation with him and somehow Land Speed Record! came up. “Oh, those guys rule!” He said. “Kind of like early Cake with more synthesizers. And their singer sort of sounds like Rivers Cuomo-you know, Weezer’s singer-and I totally dig the way his lyrics are all esoteric, like in that song “The Bleeding Heart of Cement” when he’s all, ‘And as the ties are severed the solder melts - and quickly disappears’, I mean nobody really knows what it means or anything, but it’s so cool. They even remind me of REM a little bit, how they’re not afraid to just mix it up and put in all this weird experimental electronic stuff accompanied by more traditional guitars and drums and stuff. I just can’t get enough of LSR, man. And don’t you think it’s cool how there’s all of that distortion surrounding all of the songs, so it sounds all space-agey, like it’s coming from another galaxy? Cool, huh?” “I think they suck, but do you care if I use what you just said in my CD review?” “Um, no.” - review by Brian Greenaway
Torpedo
Magazine - Winter 2002
Landspeedrecord!/Pro Solar Mechanics Split - Urban Development Series Volume
4
(4 stars)
Michael Hilton’s Ambiguous City label deserves specific attention. Quality
is the calling card, and this 2001 release shows two potentially landmark
bands, if only industry luck could get their tongues wagging in the right
direction! Two of the east coast’s best veritably unknown bands are represented
here, and Baltimore’s Landspeedrecord! is up first.
LSR is spastically rhythmic, and the powerful high-pitched calling of vocalist Charley Jamison is their best asset. They have Dismemberment Plan’s knack for melodic choruses within the context of herky-jerky chord arrangements, seen in "Method Acting". LSR has a niche all their own ready to be pruned - someone hand then the keys to a brand new van so they can pimp their amazing wares, they could play shows for all ages hardcore fans or for indie rocker Strokes-fans & go over in both worlds.
At track #6 starts Pro Solar Mechanics. Their music is as swirling as it is solid, with Amy Jacobs’ sultry vocalizations bridging some previously unknown gap between Joy Division, Fugazi, and PJ Harvey, while not sounding directly derivative or cloning to any of those names. Their lead- off song "The Future Of Sex" predates the popularity of Interpol yet easily bests the Interpol version of gloomy post-punk with it’s dirty discord & angular and almost-80’s sounding drumming. Put this band on a UK tour & they would soar! One of the things that makes writing reviews sad is getting to hear many bands that are as fantastic as these two but see them go mostly and shamefully unnoticed to the bigger eyes of the world... Criminal, it is. (www.ambiguouscity.com)
Torpedo Magazine
- Winter 2002
Landspeedrecord! - Good Housekeeping
(4 stars)
Landspeedrecord! is one of the most great hidden treasures of the East Coast.
Lurching rhythms, scathing yelling & searing grooves that are build
on discord & tension, the band’s sound is like an amusement park
ride for schizophrenic amphetamine addicts who read Burroughs.
This is the one band that should break out big from the WE Festival crowd & turn zine geeks & college radio heads on their asses. Now, if only they could get on tour with some big band and maybe befriend some investment bankers they’d get it goin’ on. I heard someone say they’re "like emo without the gayness" & I thought that was funny... This 19 song collection is their 4th album and features 8 previously unreleased songs from the length of their 7 year career plus a few songs from each of their 1st three albums. And, by the way, the shit rocks. Distributed by Dischord, so look for it! (www.ambiguouscity.com) - GY
Rockpile Magazine 7/2002
LANDSPEEDRECORD / PROSOLAR MECHANICS - Urban development Series, Vol. 4
(4 out of 5 bombs): This split kicks off with five tracks from Landspeedrecord! Everything about this band is refreshing. This is eccentric DC-style indie rock bearing a striking resemblance to quirky geniuses The Dismemberment Plan, especially in Charley Jamison's vocals. Angular guitar work, new wave keyboards, garage rock drumming, unique lyrics and well-placed group singalongs make for a satisfying and interesting listen. The second half of the disc containing four songs by the Prosolar Mechanics, doesn't fair as well. Although the Mechanics have plenty of quality rock mettle to offer, Landspeedrecord! is a difficult introduction to follow. Without the same intense spark as its discmates, Prosolar Mechanics suffer from poor placement. The band does manage to throw down with moddy groove rock sporting vocals reminiscent of the nasal (in a good way) draw of Dance Hall Crashers. Overall, Vol. 4 is an above average split releases. - Zach Needles
Delusions Of Adequacy 5/2002
LANDSPEEDRECORD / PROSOLAR MECHANICS - Urban development Series, Vol. 4
So Baltimore Maryland label amBiguous CITY! Records continue their Urban Development split series with volume 4 featuring Maryland's Landspeedrecord! and New Jersey's Prosolar Mechanics. The split 7" or glorified CD EP is a great way to promote a label's roster list and seems to me an economical way for two bands to get together and cut the costs of manufacturing in half and perhaps share in each other's listening audience. Makes sense doesn't it? Guess it really depends on if the two-featured bands actually compliment each other and there's a potential crossover market.
In the case here, Landspeedrecord! and Prosolar Mechanics are sort of opposites that struggle to find a common ground. Quite different for that fact that Landspeedrecord! are fronted by male vocalist Charley Jamison and Prosolar Mechanics have Amy Jacob offering sultry female vocals. Jamison and company offer the first five of nine songs that appear on the split. Their brand of indie-rock strikes me as rather straightforward and familiar enough to say that I feel almost indifferent about it. The song I'd probably put on a mix tape for a friend, somewhere between an early Superchunk cut and some long forgotten Small 23 song, is "Method Acting." What starts with driving bass and harmonic guitar punctuation quickly finds itself in a chorus of sublime, supporting vocals while Jamison offers, "I wish you'd spend more time in the present here / Can't wait out that long / Can't wait forever here."
Prosolar Mechanics also keep me half interested in their brand of little league 4AD rock that harks back to a time when Lush's supreme brand of female-fronted rock, albeit more upbeat, ruled the college radio airwaves. "The Future of Sex" and "Red Down the Middle" are slightly dark and moody enough that you know fans of Prosolar Mechanics are not entirely unfamiliar with the application of black eyeliner and hair dye. Amy Jacob's voice is pretty and powerful and Prosolar Mechanics' songs are content enough to rely heavily on her lead. I could see this band being a pleasant listen for fans of the long defunct Madder Rose.
Should you get this split CD EP if you're a fan of either band? Sure. Will it kill you to hear the other band's songs that accompany it? No. Will you want to go right out and find out more about the other band? Probably not. - Thomas
Lab Productions 5/2002 - Review of live show @ Baltimore's SOWEBO Festival
"I am on a mission from god to blow you away with the sound I came up with" seems to be a fitting opener for a LandSpeedRecord! show. Performing this past sunday at the SOWEBO Festival.(South West Baltimore), LSR! gave a heroic effort to blow the crowd away.
While watching the band set up, the varied faces of the crowd proved that they weren't all aware of what was coming. LSR! initially appears to be a couple of quiet, shy gentlemen- until the music begins. Charley Jamison, lead guitar and vocals, transforms before your very eyes into a hyperactive jumping bean, strumming his guitar so forcefully that, yes, he broke a string. He also repaired it in record time, cajoling with the crowd over bassist Thomas Stehr's impending fatherhood.
While it is the norm for a drummer to set the beat of a song, LSR!'s drummer (sorry, man, I didn't catch your name) set not only the beat but the melody as well, carrying the songs equally with the rest of the guys.
LandSpeedRecord! has been called emo by some, presumably due to the heavy Moog use, but that is easily brushed aside once one hears the music. "Dead Girlfriends" proves on its own that there is a fire under the asses of LandSpeedRecord!, as opposed to the weak flashlight emo bands are sitting on.
The newest cd, "Good Housekeeping" is, according to Charley Jamison, a "spring cleaning" release. A collection of past releases such as "Let the Exorcism Begin" and "Kilki", and a number of unreleases tracks from their previous albums, "The Corporate Secret", "Kilki" and "Road to Flight". You can find this cd and others at local LandSpeedRecord! shows, and LandSpeedRecord.Net - witch@labproductions.com
The Overprivileged 5/2002 - Review of live show @ The Hole In The Wall in Richmond VA
LSR were fucking awesome! Think Devo w/Talking Heads and just enough punk/surf thrown in there to make it make no sense. They put on a great show and they were cool enough to play "interoffice copulation" which Keith and I were demanding.
noreasterzine.com 4/2002
Landspeedrecord & Prosolar Mechanics - split LP
Landspeedrecord! take the first five tracks of this split LP and deliver five quick punches that'll have you jumping around. At some moments ("Best Revenge") these guys remind me of the Clash. The feel can be comfortable pop/new wave feel, punky and catchy. But the moment I thought I had them pegged (punk, emo, new wave) they pull out something like "Neophobe" --with it's sixties roaring drum-roll sound, transitioning to a drum and bass style beat, mixed with electronic samples. Then it comes clear that while they straddle a number of genres, their sound is purely Landspeedrecord! And any band that can say a cynical truley nasty "fuck" in a song and mean it -I don't know, maybe it's a childish streak in me, but "Fuck all you neophobes," a denouncement of bands that "are afraid to do something new," has been in my head all day. Fuck, I need more landspeedrecord!
Prosolar Mechanic take the final four. Lots of harmonics, and some droning on the guitars, will probably prompt comparisons with early Sonic Youth, but where these guys really shine is in their slower songs, featuring Amy Jacob¹s (vocals and guitar). Her voice is soulful-deep and thick, almost bluesy. "Red Down the Middle" and "415" are slow and lonely-sounding dirges. Amy croons low about sex, death and jealousy. "415" is certainly my favorite of the two. The production is amazing, with different layers of sound rising to the foreground and dropping back constantly, making a simple song much richer and more complex --though the vocals alone could carry it. The other two tracks "Sender" and "The Future of Sex" are interesting to start with, but lose steam. Jacobs vocals seem awkward over the mid-tempo rock 'n roll these guys trot out. But based on the two other tracks I'd like to hear more of this band. (MH)
Splendid Ezine 4/2002
Unless you fanatically seek out underground music, neither Landspeedrecord!, Prosolar Mechanics nor Ambiguous CITY! will sound familiar. Neither has graced the cover of Rolling Stone. Neither band has ransacked the local airwaves with a one-hit wonder. The label itself has languished in its own name -- remaining a relative unknown, save to the local yokels of Baltimore.
However, this may be the most important release of all three entities' respective careers.
With their five new tracks, the always prolific and constantly mutating Landspeedrecord! seems to have settled on a homogenous sound. Over its five-year history, LSR!'s sound has evolved from sloppy, sarcastic rock to angular, DC-inspired post-punk. Urban Development Series Vol.4 reveals yet another genre change for LSR!; this time, the band has settled on quirky, keyboard-inspired rockers that bring to mind early XTC, The Talking Heads and Wire. On "Neophobes", Charley Jamison belts out a variety of vocal styles, ranging from intriguing falsetto melodies to monotone storytelling (think Tubeway Army), revealing an artist who has found a comfortable musical niche. "Best Revenge" retains a touch of Hüsker Dü punkdom, but avoids any specific genre classification with the inclusion of Nord modular synths. There's something for everyone on each of these tracks; the band continues to defy classification, yet waves its punk rock flag with freakish delight.
While none of the names here may sound familiar, you shouldn't even think about passing up this CD. It's hard enough to find nine consistent tracks by one band, but when two entirely different bands can jive together in recorded harmony as well as these two do, you get the best of both worlds. Both bands hint at '80s references, but this split disc is anything but another retro-bore; its strange fusion of punk, sarcastic wit and space rock creates a genre unto itself. -- Andrew Magilow
Erasing Clouds 4/2002
Urban Development Series Vol. 4 (Ambiguous City)
I think the music world can use more split albums. There's plenty of split EPs and singles, but I love the albums better. They have more depth; they let both artists really show what they're about.
ambiguous City! Records, based in Baltimore, has a series of split releases called the "Urban Development Series." While I haven't heard the other releases, Vol. 4 is a dandy, showcasing two unique, hard-to-pin-down bands.
Up first is Baltimore's Landspeedrecord!, a trio playing smart, funny, clever, melodic punk rock, with occasional electronic touches and varied vocal styles (chanting, whispering, speaking, singing) from vocalist/guitarist/synthesizer player Charles Jamison. With a slightly cynical perspective, they sharply cut through societal hypocrisy, creating a slightly cynical portrait of life in the 21st century. Their outlook is at times paranoid, at times almost apocalyptic, but also emotional, with a certain sense of altruism and hopefulness. If that all sounds like a contradiction, it isn't really, just an indication of the lyrical depth behind their music.
There's 5 tracks from Landspeedrecord!, beginning with the melancholy "Visiting Hours" and proceeding through to the trumpet-inflected "Neophobes." That last track is a big f-you to people who are afraid of something new; those people can stay away from Landspeedrecord! and their musical compadres, the New Jersey-based Prosolar Mechanics. That group, also a trio, combines a Sonic Youth-ish, two-guitar-attack style with slightly abstract lyrics and vocals (from guitarist/vocalist Amy Jacob) that are sultry, laidback and a tad artsy. Their sound sort of resembles early 90s alternative rock, but is much more warped.
Almost captivating and often surprising, on these 4 tracks, Prosolar Mechanics are at their best when they explode into free rock (like at the end of "The Future of Sex") or conjure up sparse, spooky atmospheres, as on the final track "415." As far as I can tell, the Urban Development Series is about groups who are building their own musical universes, marking a mark in their hometowns. These groups definitely fit in; they have their own voices, and use them to grab hold of your attention.--dave heaton
Jersey Beat - Issue #70 2/2002
LANDSPEEDRECORD / PROSOLAR MECHANICS - Urban development Series, Vol. 4
Baltimore's LandSpeedrecord are an eclectic mix of strong rhythm guitar and harmonious vocals accented by synthesizers, creating a sound that is both conventional and slightly quirky. The five songs here hum along at a crisp pace, and lyrically, the tracks are a pleasure, particularly "Best Revenge" and "Secret to Win," both of which show off the skills of vocalist Charley Jamison. The band sounds equally cohesive on "Visiting Hours," a typically uptempo anthem that kicks off this split release. The band shows a more experimental side with "Neophobes," a noisy, more off-kilter track that solidifies the split personality of the act.
Prosolar Mechanics features the beautiful female vocals of Amy Jacob, as she is out in front of a band that plays a sturdy, rollicking brand of noisy guitar rock. "The Future of Sex" was the most powerful of the songs here, as her soothing vocals melt within a swirling ball of guitar and drumming. Conversely, "Red Down the Middle" is a sultry effort that is built around Jacob's warm tone and a subdued melodic hum, which morphs into a bass-heavy mid-tempo track that has a feel that matches the earthy lyrics. The speedy "Sender" was born to rule the airwaves of college stations everywhere, and has enough accessibility to allure some bold programmer into giving it a spin. There is something so easily likable about this band. Prosolar Mechanics are the complete package and deserve huge exposure. - Rich Quinlan
Urban Development Series, Vol. 4
Your Diva says: Split CD by Baltimore's prickly Landspeedrecord! and New Brunswick/ Highland Park's Prosolar Mechanics opens with a scary visit to a friend "resting comfortably" in an asylum. Landspeedrecord! tells quick, complex stories over jangly guitars and dreamy mechanical noise; boiling emotion in an industrial world. Prosolar Mechanics's raging guitars, thunderous drums and Amy's soft voice suggest evil moving through shadows, everyday violence one should've seen coming. Gorgeous, unnerving nightmares and difficult truth throughout.
I wrote this really stellar review, 1/2 way thru the Landspeedrecord portion of this CD. I meant it. I really loved the first couple songs. In fact I recorded them, to hang on to. The last couple songs, however weren't quite as exciting. But here's the thing--I'm the girl who likes stuff going on at ALL times. I like everything to be a surprise. What I'm saying is that they're a great foundation. Really super vocals with a unique voice, strong lyrics and great harmonies--just perfect, not too much. The music is confident and well done. Your basic three with some really cool synth (nord modular?). It kind of sounds like a Moog. I think if you're into straight indie-pop, you'll like it. I like music a little more confusing and intricate. I'd say it's worth inspection, as their style is forward and solid.
Uuh, alright--Prosolar Mechanics. I can't understand why these two bands are paired up on one disc. First, girl vocals have to be pretty distinct to excite me and I didn't really like the style of these. I¹m super picky about my female singers. Amy Jacob's are very dramatic and sorta sultry. I don¹t like the affect they've got on them. I feel they're too electric. In their defense, they support the band's sound, which is pretty synth/industrial. It¹s a genre I don¹t care for, so I¹m a bit of a poor judge. My roommate likes a lot of this stuff, so I enlisted his opinion. He thinks they have potential, but doesn't love the way the music is executed. I don't really know who to compare them to, so I won't even try. I don't think they're a bad band, I just don't like what they¹re doing. You might though, and I'd say if you dig mature, serious, female vocals, along with synthey, quirky music, you should check their site or something. - Italia Pierfederici
Landspeedrecord! & Prosolar Mechanics Urban Development Series Vol. 4
A split CD from two little-known (and poorly-named) bands always makes me think that the record company is pitting the two bands against each other, and that only one will survive. It's maybe not true all the time, but you have to figure that if the label had any money at all they'd just put out full-length CDs by both bands. So if my theory is true, I'm putting my money on Charley Jamison's Landspeedrecord! over Amy Jacob's band Prosolar Mechanics. Sure, Jacob's got the sexy voice and the indie-girl look, but she also sings ridiculous things like "Bitches don't wear black/They wear soft-colored nightgowns." Prosolar Mechanics songs are long and drony for the most part, which probably sounds great live but doesn't sound like much on disc. Jamison, on the other hand, is not nearly as sexy, but pulls off great lyrical coups like "It looked like a Comfort Inn/But it really was a prison to me" to the spunky old-school new wave slamming of a hot band. The entire disc is worth listening to -- hell, it's only 39 minutes long. But I favor Landspeedrecord! over Prosolar Mechanics, and that's just the way I am. Now, if these groups could just both get cool names, it'd be better for all of us. Landspeedrecord!: http://www.landspeedrecord.net Prosolar Mechanics: http://www.prosolarmechanics.com - Matt Cibula
Landspeedrecord! / Prosolar Mechanics "Split" CD
Grade: B- My sense of symmetry and proportion are severely out of kilter, if you are going to do a split CD both bands should do the same number of songs. OK, NOW I'm over it but only because this is part of a split CD series (which actually for once seems like a good idea, because they are purposely putting together bands that don't sound anything alike). Landspeedrecord! play charged up rock with cracking vocals and a whole lot of charm. They remind me of a mix of Metroschifter and At the Drive In, while remaining completely unique. Prosolar Mechanics are a tight rock machine. Very fitting female vocals. The conservative use of distorted bass is heavenly. Both of these bands are awesome, which makes for a pretty great release. (CS)
The good folks at Ambiguous City introduce two indie bands on the same disc, achieving economies of scale for the musicians and doubling the pleasure for listeners. The first five tracks feature the Baltimore band Landspeedrecord! Its "Visiting Hours" is a terrific high-energy opening track reminiscent of Everclear. Synth-pop highlights "Best revenge", while the remainder of the tracks display frentic punk rock. The final four tracks, spotlighting New Jersey's Prosolar Mechanics, are a quiter by comparison - but noless infused with talent. "The Future of Sex", "Sender" and "415" are appealing psych-rock tunes, and Amy Jacob's voice will have listeners flashing back to Debbie Harry's heyday with Blondie. If Volume 4 is any indication, the Urban Development Series is worth seeking out and Ambiguous City has already shown excellent taste in selecting promising new bands to showcase on its label. - Eric Sorensen, Amplifier Magazine
Landspeedrecord & Prosolar Mechanics - split CD
Quote...male, prickly, scary, jangly, dreamy, boiling, raging, thunderous, soft, evil, gorgeous, unnerving, difficult, electic, harmonious, conventional, slightly quirky, off-kilter, soothing, swirling, sultry, subdued, earthy, speedy...Unquote.
--Gunther 8544
Baltimore City Paper - November 14, 2001
LandSpeedRecord! is a different story. This spunky quartet crafts cookie-cutter power-pop/punk that pulses with a pep rally of mirthful guitar lines. This quirky chug comes complete with thumping bass-and-drums action that sounds like it's little more than a peg for guitarist/vocalist Charly Jamison's beating-heart-on-sleeve lyrics. That wouldn't be so distracting if they didn't sound so instantly recognizable. LandSpeedRecord! specializes in hook-filled nuggets that are monstrously catchy while they're playing and instantly forgetful the moment they're past. But it sounds like Jamison may have heard this complaint before. On "Best Revenge," LSP!'s best outing from a new split release with New Jersey's Prosolar Mechanics on local label AmBiguous City!, he proclaims, "I believe the best revenge/ is to pick myself back up again." OK. Go for it.
Landspeedrecord! Road To Flight (Resin Records) BANG : 8.5 = No home should be without it.
Landspeedrecord! The Corporate Secret (Resin Records) BANG : 8.2 = No home should be without it.
Part emo, part punk, part prog, part pop, and 100 percent rock-a-roll, Baltimore-based Landspeedrecord! has been putting out records on Resin for about three years. And, they’re probably the best band you’ve never heard of yet. Forget local–"The Corporate Secret" (1999) and "Road To Flight" (November 2000) succeed on any level. Musically ambitious and aggressively witty, their sound and attitude recall old skool XTC mixed with Oingo Boingo and a healthy dose of that DC sound we all know and love. Quite a potent, if unusual, combination. The band–all virtuoso players–manages to maintain reckless abandon and emotional immediacy despite the technical complexity of the music. Singer/guitarist Charley Jamison, recalling the aforementioned Andy Partridge and Danny Elfman, delivers his satiric lyrics with energetic insouciance from his whisper to a scream punchline on "The Corporate Secret" title cut (Let me let you in on a little corporate secret/come a little closer/you’re fucking fired!) to the jaunty and macabre "Dead Girlfriend" on which he lists his "collection of sharp objects." But the sharpest tool in this collection remains the deadly wit. Coupled with ebulliently accurate playing, it’s a killer combo. Although "The Corporate Secret" never strays too far from stripped-down rock, "Road to Flight" takes off in new directions by adding electronic elements to the riff-riddled, guitar-driven formula. And it’s a wonderfully choreographed journey: well paced and with no false steps. From the Firesign Theatre-esque baptismal intro to the spare acoustic title cut to the trippy finale "Cameron Diazapam"–a dream sequence landscape overseen by "a life-sized cardboard cutout of Cal Ripken"–it’s a long, strange trip that you’ll want to take again and again. –gina x machina
LANDSPEEDRECORD CD on RESIN RECORDS from Washington,DC..................CD 28.- a three-piece-band from Baltimore on a DC-label, and actually being in more than one sense the "missing link" between those 2 cities, with their new-wavish and eclectic post-punk rock... roughly said in between Baltimore's ORANGES or SLOWJETS and DC's Q AND NOT U or comparable to JUNO!
Basement Life - Review by Pete D'angelo
Landspeedrecord! Road to Flight Resin
Baltimore's Landspeedrecord! play a fascinatingly eclectic style of music that contains bits of straight rock power, electronic noodling, acoustic introspection and punk rock attitude. Driving it all home is the smirking delivery of singer Charlie Jamison whose lyrics are almost as much fun to read as they are to hear. As he tosses off the observation, "I had this horrible vision that everything wound up ok / ok is for assholes and losers I'd rather burn out than rot out that way," on "Last Parade," his smarmy Neil Young reworking is augmented by the song's unannounced switch from chugging rock dirge to drum machine fueled chaos, and the results are stunning.
Over the course of the album's nineteen ambitious tracks, Landspeedrecord! never take themselves too seriously but do allow for some serious experimentation that yields many more hits than misses. The group's roots seem to lie in a jerky rock formula that knows the value of a hook, and Landspeedrecord!'s ability to shift the entire feel of a track midway through leads to some disorienting modifications of musical forms that you'll wish you'd experienced sooner. To the band's credit, Road to Flight displays a fine amount of pop know-how, quite a novel feat considering how many subtle chances they take with their approach. Hearing Landspeedrecord! for the first time will probably make you wonder how exactly you missed out on their last two records. The refreshing ride they impart on the listener is more than a worthwhile trip to take, and if there is any justice there should be a lot more passengers in the near future. (pd)
AMG EXPERT REVIEW: Trying to categorize Landspeedrecord! has always been a fool's chore. Their music traipses through angular indie rock, jerky new wave, emo, chaotic lo-fi, punk, and electronic rock without ever stopping off for very long in any of those styles. Enjoying the eclecticism, on the other hand, has never been a chore. And that has also never been more the case than on their third full-length. One of the album's titles, "How I Ruined My Life With an Overactive Imagination," is a good summing up of the band. Their kinetic imagination is nearly impossible to corral, and while Road to Flight is hyperactive, jumping all over the place like a Ritalin-popping kindergartner, it is their finest album, a work teeming with ideas and inventiveness. The music is artsy in a way that pop hadn't been since the heyday of Depeche Mode or Talking Heads and early-'80s new wave, but without descending into overarching pretension or emotional detachment. And the band's ventures into computer sequencing sets them apart from any like-minded artists, if any exist, and are universally outstanding hybrids of rock and electronica, far more idiosyncratic than the amalgams by artists like Fatboy Slim and the Prodigy and that the media scrambled to embrace. Songs such as "The Best Revenge," the schizophrenic "Morgantown," and the surreal bad dream of "Cameron Diazapam" even approach Aphex Twin, µ-Ziq, and Autechre levels of freakishly modulated drum'n'bass. The attitude, though, is pure punk. They disparagingly steamroll over or parody everything from cock rock to the Internet to every manner of celebrity. Landspeedrecord! is way smarter than they want you to think, and Road to Flight is an extremely brainy record disguised as a brazen one. It is caustic, but it every bit as intelligent, and a whole lot of fun. -- Stanton Swihart
Yet another good review for Road to Flight... This time from www.summersalts.com. They compare us to the Cure, "Primus, lowercase, Husker Du, and all other sorts of mismatched powerhouses". Where do people come up with this stuff??? They also call us "speed rock". Wha???
Summersalts final verdict on Road to Flight: "I only use my reviewers 'Imploration Clause' once a month, and since I passed on it last month, I double implore you to take a chance on the fascinating LandSpeedRecord! and see if they do it to you like they did it to me."
I guess they like us. But if they are underage then I can assure you that Landspeedrecord did NOT do it to them. That is statuatory rape and LSR don't go there. Not until we start selling out stadiums at least. Then I will have one of the roadies round up the hot 17 year old chick in Section 217 row FF seat 46 and bring her backstage to me. click here for the review.
The voice at the beginning of LandSpeed Record's Road to Flight gives the band credit for taking a woman out of her body and on a tour of hell. That should tell you a couple things. First, this is a band with a sense of humor. Second, their minds dwell on the darker side of things. This is the balance continually struck by LandSpeedRecord! Using a mixture of hard-edged punk rock, bare-bones rock and roll, pop melody and emotionally exuberant singing, plus a few dips into other styles (techno, folk, new wave), LandSpeedRecord! throw forth a friendly but cynical view of life. Their songs reference exorcisms, an "Internet Killer," celebrity vanity, natural disasters, world wars, depression, domestic violence and suicide. The title track deals with the last subject, as the narrator ponders the best way to hang oneself. Road to Flight is a heavy trip, both musically and content-wise. The band plays with force, as the singer half-screams lines like, "I feel so privileged/8 hours a day I get to push the stone to watch it roll downhill/All work and no play makes me productive, a vital thread in a fabric wove from shit/If I close my eyes it doesn't hurt a bit."
Everybody needs some pessimism to bring your head out of the
clouds--LandSpeedRecord! give you that dose with more intelligence than a
boatload of goth bands, and a tendency for musical variety, which is needed
when you're dealing with the harder side of rock (at least as far as I'm concerned).
--dave heaton
Popshots.org 7/2001
This is the 3rd Landspeedrecord! record. It’s a 62 minute monstrosity. It’s an interesting monstrosity, mind you. If you’re impatient & unwilling to wait this album out, though, I simply can’t recommend it to you. However, if you’re the impatient type, you probably haven’t read even this far. You’re being distracted by some flashing Shockwave applet, or a blinking IM window, or the gentle chimes of an arriving e-mail. It’s difficult to be patient with new and strange things, especially with all these distractions, never mind the daily distractions that aren’t attached to a PC. It often seems as though this group suffers (or benefits) from the same sort of attention-deficit difficulties.
Being from DC, the group’s Fugazi-influenced sound is simple to discern - the rolling drums, the barked vocals, the abrasive guitars. For the first 13 songs, LSR! Doesn’t deviate from this pattern too much. Even accounting for the break in “Mission From God” (where an oscillating type of noise of some sort kicks in near the song’s conclusion), or the maddening pastiche of “The Bleeding Heart of Cement” (incorporating jungle-like drumming, a tepid post-punk murmur, and a break-neck sprint leading into the song’s ending), there’s nothing that differentiates these songs from one another. And the lyrics are another mess to contend with – scattershot observations pertaining to Linda Blair mixed in with pithy relationship putdowns (“How does it feel to be the one who loses interest in the middle of a conversation?”) and odd, odd, odd narratives – the one in “Why Famous People Shouldn’t Breed” manages to be surreal, unsettling, and pretentious all at the same time.
So, why am I wasting time writing all this wearying criticism? As I stated earlier, the first 13 songs don’t deviate from their foundation. That said, they often strike gold (“The Last Parade”, “Emo Takes Last Place”) as often as they bang tin, and should keep the interest of someone willing to indulge the group’s fancies. But, the 14th track (following the odious “Why Famous People…”) is where the album gets redeemed. This is the title track, featuring LSR! leader Charles Jamison & an acoustic guitar. Fitting with the odd topical tack the album has taken to this point, it’s a song about suicide – specifically, an inventory of suicide aids & methods that can be used to ring in the holidays. It’s a heartbreaking song, though, with Charles listing the materials like a sad little boy at Christmas, asking to be saved while knowing he can’t be saved. “There’s a secret I’m willing to share…forever means nothing on the road to flight.” Without a doubt, the strongest track on the whole album.
Following that are two electronic-heavy tracks – the wordless “Morgantown”, and the word-heavy “Cameron Diazapam”. Both take the hints of drum-machine mania that dot the previous tracks and make full-fledged psychoses from them. The lyrics of “Cameron Diazapam” epitomize this nuttiness – “doing bizarre monkey dances all underneath a life-sized cardboard cutout of Cal Ripken with his eyes and mouth burned out and footage of Robert Oppenheimer giving anti-nuclear proliferation speeches…” – though they’re barely discernable underneath the madness that ensues.
So, this album might appeal to fans of aggressive post-punk experimentation, music lovers with a yen for both Aphex Twin and Jawbox. This album might also upset these people, going in so many different directions at once, offering conflict where some might want harmony. Initially, I was floored by this album’s audacity and seemingly willful obfuscation. After more listens, though, I soured on the record for those very same reason, its once charming brainy brow-beating now coming off as mean-spirited taunting by the pocket protector set. Now, I’ve come to accept its eclecticism for what it is, while hoping that the group’s next effort will be a bit more concise. But if you’ve the time & patience to appreciate this album’s nuances, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
There is something about this album. I can't put my finger on it. The more I listen to it, the more it grows on me. The music is a curious mix of electronic music, Jawbox-ish rhythms, and a twisted sensibility that reminds me of… The Dead Milkmen. Consider these bon mots: "I can barely write to someone without being buried alive right in their back yard (from "Internet Killer"). "It's all part of a special plan to make this world a better place; erase the mistakes we've made. Starting with you" (from "FEMA"). "You choked on after-dinner mints. It's like a backhand compliment… This is where you eat your own grenade" (from "The Last Parade"). "A hangman's noose is a hallmark for the holiday that kills" (from "Road To Flight"). I really enjoy that last one. Absurdist and at times downright silly, these songs are truly genius. Sell all you own and buy this album. - Terry Eagan
One of the problems with being brilliantly weird is that the normal folk have a tough time recognizing the difference between run-of-the-mill goof balls and the truly artistic types who just happen to dance to the beat of a different drummer. For anyone having trouble determining on which side of the line Landspeedrecord! sits, Road to Flight is certainly a cut or two above lowbrow weirdness.
That’s not to say singer/guitarist Charles Jamison isn’t a goofball, because there’s nothing but blue-ribbon weirdness on this album. He does have the knack for making his eccentricities an asset rather than a set of put-on pretenses for listeners to overcome. While there’s little conventional wisdom applied to this album, especially in its lyrical fare, Landspeedrecord! sticks to its twisted logic throughout this album, a logic that after a short while, makes even a twisted type of sense to traditional thinkers.
Landspeedrecord! features the same sort of out-of-left-field lyrical assault as bands like Ween, They Might Be Giants and Piebald, though with a slightly more sinister slant. Whether Jamison takes on topics as diverse as suicide ("Road to Flight") to a simple get-up-and-rock raver ("Mission From God"), there’s enough lyrical twists and turns to keep whatever topic the band settles on dripping with the mystery it almost effortlessly strikes up.
Jamison’s biggest tool in crafting the puzzling atmosphere of Road to Flight is his knack for mutilating standard-issue metaphors to fill his songs with enough clever word play to make Dr. Seuss envious. With one-liners like "the falling stops when the impact starts" (from "Emo Takes Last Place") scattered throughout this album, there’s enough to tickle fans’ immediate fancies. It’s Jamison’s more-extended metaphors that really shine, however: "I could slash my wrists or overdose on sleeping pills/ But a hangman’s noose is the hallmark for the holiday that kills," he croons in the title track.
Musically, Landspeedrecord! mixes genres with a gusto that’s hard for even the most well-listened fans to keep up with. While Road to Flight jumps randomly between punk, indie and acoustic directions — frequently all within the same song — the band’s work rarely feels shoddily thrown together. It’s a musical makeup that fits Jamison’s lyrical fancies and keeps this album from sounding too conventional even in its tamest moments.
Superpunk.com / Popmatters 3/2/2001
Baltimore is not known by the nation as a musical town, however
it is quite rich with young men making some very textured and interesting
rock music. One of the pioneers has been the little known and often overlooked
Land Speed Record. Through all my years as a music journalist, the only band
that has consistently confused, amused and surprised me has been this Baltimore
crew. Road To Flight, their most promising and realized release to date is
no exception.
Yet it comes as no surprised that the direction this band is heading in was
not easier listening. While Land Speed Record's music has become more developed
it has not become more pop savvy. Instead, the chord and riff patterns have
become more intense and interesting. The precision in time change, guitar
work and break-neck beats should have made Land Speed Records the kings of
the short lived and mostly poor "math-rock" genre. In fact it has always been
Land Speed Record that stood out as the only band capable of maintaining soul
in such a bland and boring form of musical expression. Unfortunately the band
has been overlooked by just about every underground community proving that
even in "counter cultures" fashion, trends and coolness are all that matter.
The themes of Land Speed Record's songs have always been weird and awkward
and humorous. While Road To Flight has many of these qualities on the surface,
the lyrics and presentation of them are much more personal. This is where
the great amounts of growth come in. The end of "Internet Killer" is a creepy/lonely
fade out. It is followed by the sad sounding beginning of "The Best Revenge"
which falsely starts and stops with a quirked out techno beat that finally
gives into the Devo like guitar work supported with a rapid fire techno beat.
The title track may be the legacy that will be most remembered of the band.
It is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" and easily as radio accessible.
Yet it's delivery of somber suicide lyrics make it a far more intimate and
immediate experience. It is unfortunate that the band decided to follow such
a beautiful song with a few tracks of off handed techno experimentation. Perhaps
they did not want to end such a wonderful effort on such a downer. But I think
that the album would have come to a much more powerful ending with this acoustic
track. The personally delivered song is so touching it's hard to imagine that
the singer has not given up all hope and done him self in. Let's hope not.
Land Speed Record are caught some where between the new-wave cool a la Devo
and punk brilliance. With as much contemporary influence to keep the sound
modern, Land Speed Record also delivers enough unique style that will inevitably
keep them out of the loop of "cool" with all the kids. For the listener, the
key is to not overextend his or her self with effort to understand the wired
sounds escaping the stereo, but instead to embrace them for what they are.
Land Speed Record has come a long way, perhaps Road To Flight will take them
to the more prosperous spot on the punk rock hill they deserve. Resin
Records
--Erik Gamlem Mu
splendid ezine 3/2001 - Road To Flight
Landspeedrecord! has always hit the right chord for me. With a good sense of humor, some well-placed sarcasm and a firm stance on refusing to compromise its sound, the band has finally hit a home run with Rood to Flight. From their earliest days, the LSR! troop has percolated a sly combination of complex math rock and gyrating, bass-intensive rhythms into their off-kilter rock explosion. The excellent instrumental backing on "Turing Test" is strong enough not to even need the well-orchestrated vocals. Instead, it’s like eating your brother’s favorite cereal and then staking your claim on the bonus prize that’s buried deep inside. Other favorites include the cynical opener, "Mission From God", and the metaphorically pessimistic "Neil Armstrong", which takes a good jab at the idea of working your life away. You'll either love or hate Charles Jamison's warbling, inflected vocals, but there's no denying that they quickly distance Landspeedrecord! from the huddled masses of forgettable rock. Add a few bizarre pop culture samples, Silvertone keyboard outbursts, programmed drum beats and fucked up computer manipulation and you get a brilliant CD that's been a long time coming. See, kids, you should follow LSR!'s example. If you stick with something for long enough, you're bound to eventually produce a quality product! -- am
splendid ezine 1/2000 - Corporate Secret
Office politics will probably linger throughout most people's workdays. Land Speed Record! has decided to give your least favorite co-worker the middle finger on your behalf so you don't find yourself stuck in HR, feebly trying to explain yourself. LSR! lets the sarcasm spray all over that certain special person's face, pushing the vocals up and relegating the noisy, whining guitars to secondary status without becoming obtrusively absent. Sometimes expressively nerdy and sometimes utterly disgusting and mean-spirited, the band doles out biting commentary on getting fired and fax machines, all placed squarely over entertaining, syncopated beats of finely fashioned brilliance. -- amsic_Review
splendid ezine - Kilki
A bright burst of staccato rhythms and miffed vocals that cross a glaring case of neurosis with a certain singer’s demonstrative personality crisis. The math rock side of your brain will appreciate all that's noisy, calculated and erratic here, as the band's generous bestowal of ruptured chords and twisted vocal chants is devlishly pleasing. Your cautious, unpresuming other half will applaud Land Speed Record's need to wrestle with emotionally charged topics through a tangible medium: scathing lyrical delivery. The between-song skits border on irritatingly forgetful, but the music’s unarguably convincing stuff that's quirky, catchy and intrusively becoming. -- am
Green Means Go! - 1997/8
Land Speed Record - Kilki
Another one of those rare records that actually defies late-’90s rock conventions and offers something completely unexpected.
I think of this album as almost like a zine, a full-length testament to the creativity and personal oddities of a bunch of (presumed) geeks, widely varying in style but unified by its members’ collective need to get the message out there, whatever it might be.
A little rock, a little sampling, a little groove, and some PITCHBLENDE-ish vocalizing—Kilki is interesting enough, and the band’s potential for future greatness so apparent, that I’ll even forgive them for covering one of my favorite ROBYN HITCHCOCK songs, “Uncorrected Personality Traits,” which they do, admirably, make quite their own. Somehow it just makes sense.
Raging Smolder Music Review #20
Land Speed Record - Kilki
Techno-synth-noise-punk. Odd, but interesting. Lots of energy, intensity, and vigor. Anger, rage, and darkness sprinkled thru-out.
What is Land Speed Record in a frenzy about? Hard to say -- no decoder came with the CD!
From "Mistake": "There's got to be a better way, but I don't know what
it is!" From "Kilki": "It's the end of the century. Here you are coming
on to me. Don't you know that we're all going to die ..." Yow!
Delusions of Adequacy 2/2001
File Under: If The Barenaked Ladies had a train wreck with The Dismemberment Plan
Recommended if you like: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Skeleton Key, Grayling, Carnival Art
First off, let me say that this disc sounded nothing like I expected it to, seeing as the instantaneous reaction to this disc was, "Land Speed Record - wasn't that a Husker Du album?" Into the CD player the disc went, and after about four songs went by, I finally stopped and said, "Hey - this doesn't sound like Husker Du." Fortunately for me (and for the band, as far as this review goes), I was smiling when I said it.
A preacher's voice opens the album, leading into "Mission of God," which boldly proclaims, "I am on a Mission from God to blow you away with the song I came up with." Moxie - gotta love it. The music is really upbeat, with a guitar line that sounds like something from an old Jon Spencer Blues Explosion disc. "Let the Exorcism Begin" really sounds like Skeleton Key, with music that builds to a cool 'freak out' ending and vocals that add to the urgent, 'freaky' nature of the lyrical content. "Turing Test" starts off sounding like a deranged surf-guitar instrumental before heading off into a really fun number.
The more morose side of LandSpeedRecord! finally shows through on "Internet Killer," a mostly instrumental piece built around very driving, yet understated guitar work. When the vocals do finally kick in at the end of the track, the 'freaky' tone is used here again for a really dark sound. "The Best Revenge" melds acoustic guitars, intense (but subdued) vocals and synth-beats to good effect for verses before kicking into a chorus fit for any ska song - a cool listen, and probably the standout track on the album. "Emo Takes Last Place" is an infectious rocker that sounds like old Carnival Art, while "The Origins of the Fourth World War" is a quick, quirky bass driven track with cool stop-beat action in the chorus.
"Fema" is a militaristic tune concerned with a 'cleansing' of the world's populace. Disturbing is really the only word that comes to mind for that one. "The Bleeding Heart of Cement" evokes more memories of Carnival Art, as a laid-back guitar line gives in to an abrasive chorus. The coolest lyric off the disc comes courtesy of this song ("I had this horrible vision that everything would wind up OK/OK's for assholes and losers - I'd rather burn out than rot out that way"). "The Last Parade" bops along the same lines as "Turing Test/Emo Takes Last Place," and "Kung Pao" is an instrumental piece worthy of any NoMeansNo CD. "How I Ruined My Life With an Overactive Imagination" is a catchy, synthesizer-drenched pop tune with relationship-oriented lyrics. "Why Famous People Shouldn't Breed," along with the previous song, shows that LandSpeedRecord! have great taste in song titles. The music itself is pretty standard to the release thus far, though the lyrics paint a fairly absurd and disturbing picture.
"Neil Armstrong" has a very quiet and somber tone, with eerie synth effect dropped in from time to time to create a generally uneasy feeling. The uncomfortable vibe continues into the disc's title track, "Road to Flight." While not the disc's best track, this is definitely the CD's masterpiece. The song begins with the sound of a record crackling, leading into an acoustic head-trip from someone obsessed with suicide through hanging. The vocals are frail and emotional, and the guitars are delicate, creating a very haunting experience that ends right back where it began - with the crackling sound of a record player. There are a few other tracks to speak of on the disc as well - "Morgantown" and the untitled track 19, which are sadly misguided attempts at screwing around with the synthesizers, while "Cameron Diazapam" is a hilarious venture into dance music, with a really cool synth-bass line and nonsense lyrics that talk of men in monkey suits doing bizarre monkey dances underneath a cardboard cutout of Cal Ripken with the eyes and mouth burned out. Simply put - it rules.
Road to Flight is an excellent listen fueled by creativity and strong musicianship. What does make me sad, however, is that LandSpeedRecord! hails from the same town as Third Harmonic Distortion. Damn, I want to move to Baltimore.
- Gary
LSR! is one of those bands that's always been a little bit too eclectic and clever for easy consumption--a bit too underground for mainstream rockers, too expansive for the orthodox punk scene, a little too weird for self-conscious hipsters, and on the hip side for plain old weirdos. Road to Flight doesn't resolve that awkward balance, but it goes a long way toward making it into a strength. The sound Jamison, bassist Thomas Stehr, and now-departed drummer Marc Berrong came up with channels the jerky, wrapped-tight New Wave rhythms so popular with Baltimore bands these days--but since the trio has been mining that vein for years, tunes like "Turing Test," "Internet Killer," and "FEMA" rock like super-amplified Swiss watches. Jamison adds discrete synths, samples, and loops, as well as his own melodramatic, melodic yelp; it's the one thing about Road to Flight that never varies, even though the tracks mood-swing from the super-catchy skank of "The Best Revenge" to the bleak acoustic suicide note of the title track.
The quality that varies most across the disc is the songwriting. Jamison's lyrics have always been smart and mordantly witty, and Road to Flight doesn't disappoint on that score. ("All this talk about weekends/ trying to drag out where I'm going to be./ It's the Internet Killer/ pretending to like the same things as me," he moans on "Internet Killer.") He also offers what sound like squirmingly intimate gut spills in "How I Ruined My Life With an Overactive Imagination" and the title track. But other songs, such as "The Origins of the Fourth World War" and "Why Famous People Shouldn't Breed," fall a bit flat while attempting the kind of paranoid intellectual horror that former Lee Harvey Keitel Band leader and erstwhile LSR! member Ron Spencer somehow does better. Still, Road to Flight is eclectic, clever, and supremely rocking. God and open-minded listeners will forgive the rest.
By Lee Gardner
Noisy Paper - Road To Flight review
Or what about the common man on the street? Your average musician? What do they think of us? For that you need to go to the Garageband.com portion of our website. What is that? Click on the link and find out. Or not.
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