Well, my goose is cooked. The deadline's coming up and I can't find a simple comparison of the 90 Day Men's sound to that of two or three other better-known bands. I can only think that it reminds me of an instrumentally more accomplished and quieter version of Sonic Youth. I figured I shouldn't show my ignorance too much in this review (oops, too late), so I decided to ask my close friend Joe to identify some possible influences. Some writers get a reputation for being encyclopedias of modern music history made flesh, but Joe surpasses that mark by a few Scott Walker references and a casually mentioned connection between Travis Morrison and Laurence Welk in four degrees. If anyone can help me with this review, it's him.
He's immediately impressed and surprised by the opening track, "Dialed In." After a minute or two of trance-inducing repetitive guitars, he asks if the band is purely instrumental. In short order, he receives his answer in the form of Brian Case's loosely rhythmic spoken vocals. As I'd previously thought, his "slacker of the year" delivery creates the primary anachronism of the 90 Day Men's sound. For standard delivery, his voice is as animated as a cockroach drowning in maple syrup, and in moments of expression, he simply whines in lack of diction. We both agree that if we could change one thing about this band, it would be the vocal style, or even the vocalist himself. Joe comes up with the first similarity: to Slint. He's right-- the interlocking guitars and spoken vocals satisfy some of my need for review fodder. On to another track.
I skip to "Exploration Vs. Solution, Baby," which begins in a more frenzied variation on the first track's ostinaticism. Case offers a bit of post-modern worry about the fate of society, then steps aside for bassist Rob Lowe (not that Rob Lowe, naturally) to chant, "The future will not be like the past/ The future will not be like the present/ The authority of the rational as opposed to the unseen/ The importance of the concrete as opposed to the symbolic/ The importance of the individual versus group." It struck me, as it had before, that 90 Day Men are, overall, pretty fucking pretentious. And being a fan of progressive rock, I don't throw that term around lightly. It bothers me only inasmuch as the use of overtly self-important material is done in a ham-fisted manner, as in "Exploration Vs. Solution, Baby" and a few other spots on the record. I can't complain too much as, at the very least, Case avoids such clumsiness most of the time.
As the album progresses, Joe often mentions potential references for my review. The structures and obvious art-house attitude call Marquee Moon-era Television or the somewhat obscure Welsh band Jack. The guitar orchestration (done entirely in the studio, since Case is the only guitarist) with the occasional, subtle addition of electric pianist Andy Lansangan remind both of us of early-'80s King Crimson and Talking Heads, giving credence to their claim on New Wave influences. As previously mentioned, they ride the No Wave as well, with touch points like the frequently discordant riffing guitars and tossed-off vocal delivery of the old, good Sonic Youth.
Despite such diverse influences peppered throughout the album, the 90 Day Men come up with a feel that, despite its rich heritage, sounds quite unique. I've never heard a band that created the same dark, ennui-laden feel as this one, and they deserve credit for that alone. Joe and I agree: we're giving it to them.
