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7 out of 10
'The Crucial Collection' is a compilation by Tallahassee, Florida four-piece Look Mexico of songs from EPs, singles and covers up until the release of their debut album in 2007, 'This Is Animal Music', plus two songs from the Japanese version of 'TIAM'. They like wearing short shorts onstage and even though 'The Crucial Collection' (Taking its name from their 2006 release 'The Crucial EP') isn't in strict chronological order, you can hear the progression from Tallahasse garage band to American alternative press/underground hopefuls. There's a demo like quality to the earliest material here, from 2005's 'So Byzantine' EP but filling the middle of this disc, and it's easy to become absorbed in it, the way sounds scruffily overlap on 'Oh, The Things I'm Gonna Do For My Country'. There are suggestions of experimentation on 'Variations On A Theme' with it's Eastern sounds and subtle, swooning noise fuzz. The Alkaline Trio-meets-orchestral-pop cover of Summer Darling's 'Math Is Everywhere' also acts as a precursor to the feel of 'This Is Animal Music'. 'I Meant Pushups' and 'Me An My Dad Built Her' sound like rustic takes on post-rock, with lead singer/guitarist Matt Agrella's voice low in the mix when it's used at all. The songs from 'The Crucial EP' (Tracks 1-5) are less impressive by comparison, being as they are very derivative of the likes of Minus The Bear (The production is sharp, crisp and light) and Mike and Tim Kinsella (Noodly Cap'n Jazz etc guitars), with a third-wave emo twist. 'I Can't Today, I'm On Duty' is a glistening pop gem and the post-rock style instrumental 'Guys, I Need A Helicopter' is a stepping stone between 'So Byzantine' and 'This Is Animal Music', but is generic rather than original like 'Oh, The Things.'. It's the two songs here from 'TIAM' that hint that Look Mexico have a chance of standing out amongst lots of similar sounding post-Minus The Bear and Foals bands. Listen: www.myspace.com/lookmexico
Tracklist:
1. He Bit Me 2. I Can't Today, I'm On Duty 3. Call Off Your Lapdog 4. Guys, I Need A Helicopter 5. Come On, We Are Talking About You Here 6. Whose Ship Is This? 7. Oh, The Things I'm Gonna Do For My Country 8. Variations On A Theme (Guys, I Need A Helicopter) 9. Math Is Everywhere 10. I Meant Pushups 11. Me And My Dad Built Her 12. You Ever Got Punched In The Face For Talking Too Much (History Invades Remix) 13. You Come Into My House, While I Sleep? (Chris Rucker Remix) 14. Done And Done (The Dark Romantics Remix)
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