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7 out of 10
Have you ever considered what goes into a burrito? Sure, they're tasty as hell, but stop for a second and think about the different parts that make up the burrito, what it is contained with that soft tortilla. There are a lot of different things inside, and to be honest they shouldn't all work together. Take for example rice and cheese; think about it for a second - sounds pretty gross right? Rice and cheese at the same time? In the same meal? It's a pretty odd combination but somehow it works. The same could be said for Carcrashlander's 'Mountains On Our Back'. It starts off all noisy scything guitars before being replaced with some post-rock electric piano and gentle vocals, then crashing back into the noise part only to once again be replaced with the murmur of actual song. It shouldn't really work as well as it does, like the combination of rice and cheese, but somehow Carcrashlander pull it off.
If we move onto the meat inside your imaginary burrito - what did you go for? Chicken? Steak? Whatever it was, that's what dictates the main flavour of the meal. The meat in Carcrashlander is undoubtedly Cory Gray's voice, delicate and soulful yet without sounding too grating or cheesy. It serves as the focal point for most of the record, keeping the music anchored to a point, never letting them stray too far or get too carried away. Like meat in a burrito? Possibly.
But the problem with this analogy is, aside from that fact that it's pretty rubbish, it's that Mexican food isn't that popular in this country. However, Super Furry Animals are pretty popular and Carcrashlander sound an awful lot like the Welsh five-piece, so we'll go with that comparison for the minute. There's no trace of Status Quo style stomping rock'n'roll, but they share the same sensibilities of mixing wonky indie pop with more experimental sounds and clashing instrumentation. It's also worth pointing out that 'Driveway' shares its intro with a Pavement song from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.
Mountains On Our Backs is an interesting record and worth a listen if you like indie rock with a penchant for experimental pop and noisy guitars. Sure it's no burrito but then again what is?
Listen: www.myspace.com/carcrashlander
Tracklist:
1. Mountains On Our Backs
2. Dollar Store Halo
3. Capillary Webs
4. Killingsworth Frost
5. Quoting Dead Comedians
6. Driveway
7. Coast To Coast
8. Bone Noose
9. Warm Behind The Walls
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