Albums by this artist

Ruy Blas! (2001)

Concentrate To Listen To The Rondo That We Christen King Speed (1999)

The Rah Bras

Concentrate To Listen To The Rondo That We Christen King Speed

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» ED COMSTOCK | STAFF WRITER

The Rah Bras Concentrate To Listen To The Rondo That We Christen King Speed Lovitt, 1999 RiYL: Assfactor 4

Based in Arlington Va., the small-yet-pretentious label Lovitt records quietly cranks out the best hardcore releases this side of Dischord. As one of the best-kept secrets in the indie scene, Lovitt is the leading purveyor of a style of music known (unfortunately enough) as spazz-core -- mostly a confluence of the dynamics of emo and the energy of hardcore. This EP from the Rah Bras is most certainly a break from the usual Lovitt release, then again, this album is a break from anything that could be described as "usual".

Covering with equal bravado an R. Kelly song and "Ride My Pony" by Genuine and wearing cod pieces in their live show, the Rah Bras are not for those with a low threshold for weird shit. This album incorporates the bizarre samples and musical tirades that the band has made a name for itself with performing live, but fails to capture the energy and impact of the band's live show.

Their live show consists of -- in short -- a girl going crazy on the keyboards accompanied by a guy from the Sleepytime Trio on a very loud bass and some guy that is constantly breaking his sticks hitting the fuck out of the drums. This album seems more like some anti-art statement, replete with car horns and non-linear arrangements. In this way, the album is both interesting and provocative, but rendered basically unlistenable - perhaps just an inside joke with no significance at all.

There is, however, one exception -- "The Fifth Allen." This song is as great on the album as it is live, its catchy melody a breath of fresh air on this dense album. Certainly, the album is worth purchasing for this song alone - you've never heard anything like it. Textured keyboard buildups lead into more familiar anthemic chanting before it completely breaks down and is overwhelmed by instruments competing for increasingly crowded aural space.

This album is a small glimpse into the future of punk and hardcore, sacrificing immediate accessibility for aesthetic vision. Expect great things from this band as they continue to fuck up everybody's idea of what rock music is.

ED COMSTOCK |