Though their records have been received with varying degrees of ironic appreciation, the music of Trans Am has aged better than expected. What may have sounded arch or in-jokey before (and may have even been intended that way) now sounds more like the band has been planting flags and protecting the sometimes contradictory strains of rock they grew up with. That seemingly at-odds musical mix-- between 1970s rock cliché and 80s synth-rock cliché, icy electronics and analog sweat, musical discipline and wild indulgence-- sounds now almost like a masterplan.
One reason these instrumentals still hold up is that there was always rock-solid musicianship behind them. Therefore, a live record suits them pretty well. On both the record and included DVD, it's immediately apparent Trans Am have the chops to pull off and maintain the pastiche. But unlike some of the artists they've lovingly sent up and/or paid homage to in their own music, that ability is pointed toward building tension and establishing surprise. It's evident all over What Day Is it Tonight?: From the extended drum fill at the start of "Futureworld" to its steadfast Krautrock-derived core to its fake-out closing minutes, many of the band's contrasts and idiosyncrasies can be located in that one track. Earlier songs like "Firepoker" build tension through manic stops and starts only to dissolve into one great John Carpenter-worthy synth drone.
The tracklist culls from the band's entire career, and though it cherrypicks tracks from several different live performances, it flows smoothly. Many songs from their later albums shine in this setting: A stripped-down "Positive People" gets reclaimed as a worthy deep cut from the tongue-maybe-too-firmly-in-cheek TA, while Futureworld material like '"Television Eyes" sounds that much more visceral.
Trans Am are just as good at what they do now as they've ever been-- in fact, they've grown more subtle and sophisticated by now (if you can reach such a bar with homages to camp and cliché). But in hearing old against new on What Day Is it Tonight?, some of their most recent work sounds clinical by comparison. '"First Words" (from 2007's Sex Change) finds a sturdy groove and has even better texture and open space, but it can't help but feel like a come down after the faster material. While it's somewhat difficult to reconcile their whole career in one live disc, the material remains unpredictable even as it gets a little more cerebral. For those who had even a passing interest in Trans Am's music over the years, this set is a fine reminder of why you likely tuned into them in the first place.
