Okay, let's all be honest here. Am I the only one out there getting worn out by the inundation of post-rock and avant-garde instrumental music which has recently struck us? Granted, it usually seems rather creative at first, but how many times can one really listen to the same unusual riff before the wave of aural numbness crashes down? Modal scales are certainly interesting enough in moderation, but only a few bands can successfully integrate them into every song without the listener wondering, "Didn't I hear this same theme in songs three and seven already?" As the indie world waits patiently for the reemergence of revered groups like Tortoise and June of 44, only the most courageous, avid fans of the genre dare to enter the fray of dangerously mediocre post-rock that sounds so bizarre that it often passes for genius.
The most recent heirs to the vacant post-rock throne are the Mercury Program, a four-piece ubiquitously championed by critics and misanthropic webloggers alike. Many have attributed a prodigious talent to these four musicians that may not be undeserved, but is definitely premature. From the Vapor of Gasoline is a fine record, full of atmospheric tones and unique songwriting, but it's not the post-rock opus that so many have dubbed it. Of course, this is never the fault of the Mercury Program, but instead the record labels that incessantly proclaim that each release is "surely a classic" or "certainly their best effort to date by far."
Though probably not a classic, From the Vapor of Gasoline is a solid sophomore release which carves its own niche in the venerable post-rock canon. This record is home to an interesting blend of noise, twisting, flowing guitar figures with ephemeral vibraphone sounds, backed by the pervasive, polyrhythmic tapping of snare and crash cymbals. Tracks like "Reinventing a Challenge for Machines" and "Highways Like Veins" feature a cutting breed of puncturing guitar which serves as the Mercury Program's signature sound. As my dad remarked earlier, "This stuff will knock you out." He was referring not to the sonic might of the tracks, but to the fact that the somber moodiness and repetitive quality of many of the songs puts one to sleep quickly if one is not careful.
Following in the footsteps of many of their musical progenitors, the Mercury Program's original sound tends to be a bit too readily apparent and redundant in each song, with the feel of each track more or less exactly the same. From the Vapor of Gasoline lacks the musical versatility and variety of a truly consummate record, as the same combinations of instruments, identically calibrated, surfaces throughout. Like any forward-thinking post-rock outfit, the Mercury Program sprinkle frugal amounts of vocals on choice tracks, such as the effervescent "The Sea is in Here" and the shadowy "Leaving Capitol City for Good," but this is not sufficient to drive the Mercury Program over the city limits from Pretty-Goodville into Smack-You-Around-Like-A-Naughty-Schoolboytown. From the Vapor of Gasoline showcases a band with much potential in the form of a record that's good for what it is, but not groundbreaking.
