Mt. St. Helens – Of Others
Record Label: Two Thumbs Down Records
Release Date: September 3, 2007
As my dog poo calendar gets closer and closer to having its last page turned, I think it’s only fitting to spend time talking about some artists (or 8) that might have slipped past your various radars. Hey there, Mt. St. Helens. Yeah, Pitchfork gave the special treatment to On Time, Always a while back, but I’ve never met a person that actually reads Pitchfork. Also, when you release albums so sparsely, it’s quite difficult to keep any steam going. Especially these days. Heck, I’ve already deleted 24 of the 47 albums inhabiting my “Best Of” list. But there is something mysterious about this band, something almost frightening. MSH don’t make their secrets readily available, either. Here indie roots are encased in post-punk grunge-isms and off-key wailing, which, admittedly, works really well.
Not all that surprisingly, Quinn Goodwillie’s lyrics are interesting little buggers. They take the listener from a mindset of enjoyment to the heightened state of analysis. In “Seething Is Believing,” Goodwillie (sorta) challenges death: “Lifetimes last so very long / Countless nights, so very long / And you said to me it could all end at once / If I followed you / And so I did.” His voice vibrates with uncertainty while robotic guitars hit each note with precision and force. The atmosphere, initially, feels too gloomy, but remember that dusk can be beautiful, too. “Strange Navigation” makes use of yelps and quirky, stop-and-go guitar riffs. It’s not exactly post-punk, mostly due to Goodwillie’s delivery, but it’s close enough. Of Others is, like its title implies, a strange mixture. Though the album has a distinct mood, this doesn’t mean song structures must mimic one another. “Want Out” takes a lo-fi, mathy approach, while “City Of…” smushes jangling bass into an airtight noise-rock container. Subtle reinventions are the order of the day.
Closer “Interruption” begins quite strangely (in comparison to the rest of the album). A slow drum fill and light guitar seems to have a lulling effect. But I’m no baby, and MSH knows this. Goodwillie leads the charge vocally as just about everything (tempo, my heart beat, etc, etc.) picks up. MSH have shown little regard to those traveling before them. The genre elders may be pissed. Me, though? Doesn’t bother me one bit. In fact, this slightly-dirty-alley punk finale ends Of Others on a necessary and wily note. Well, change that to an ominous note: “This strange interruption / More problem / Solution Malaise / Production and still, I couldn’t let it go.” Huh? A little guesswork never hurt anyone; it certainly doesn’t hurt replay value. Twist your head around a question mark long enough and it might just turn into an exclamation point.
!
Recommended If You Like: ...Trail Of Dead, Coffinberry, haberdashery, Fugazi, solitude
Browse Reviews
Write a Review
Alphabetized Listing
Popular Reviews
Best New Music
View Profile Picture
Currently Playing
View Signature
Posts: 5,306
View Blog
Share This Review
Print This Review
Subscribe to Review
More From This Author