Friday, December 31, 2010

Monster Machismo - 2009 Aye Aye Porcupine


Band : Monster Machismo
Album : Transitions
Release Year : 2010
Genre : Mathrock / Experimental

Tracklist :
01. Moonshine Mashbomb 
02. Terrific Whistler
03. Time Portal Fiasco
04. Kiss Kiss Pessimest 
05. Tisk Tisk
 
Counting out a rhythm is not as easy as it sounds while listening to Monster Machismo. For all the technical indie and metal bands out there, Monster Machismo straddles the chaotic and the calming with an elegance like none other. Some records playfully show their understanding of time signature hopping, some records destroy them...Aye Aye Porcupine might as well ignore their very existence.
From the diverse structures to constant changes from aggressive and tranquil atmospheres, it's easy to equate words like "varying dynamics" and "technical mastery" into this review, but it's more than that. It's an honest-to-goodness ability to create an intricate piece with a well-thought-out flow. "Time Portal Fiasco" sways from calming, intricate, jazz influenced sections to near-grind fast technicality. The record never becomes to heavy or too light. It stays within perfect boundaries of each other. Closer, "Tisk Tisk," opens with a Hey Arnold! quote: "Stoop kid's afraid to leave the stoop" and then calmly enters a catchy guitar line that lets the record end as the perfect calm after the storm.
Bands with too much complexity are often touted as pretentious or only for the elitist, but with a little thought, there is a lot of hold onto on Aye Aye Porcupine. It's not a record that's too long, and it's generally interesting to try and follow the ebb and flow it plays with.





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