Dead Mechanical - Medium Noise LP TPR 02
The ragged two-packs-a-day bleat of Lucas Carscadden may be what defines Dead Mechanical, but it's drummer Matt Dorsey's more melodic vocal turns, an inspired ear for inserting melody into cacophony, and a rhythm section that pushes every song into hyperdrive that makes this CD a standout. Baltimore's Dead Mechanical specialize in the neat trick of creating songs that threaten to devolve into noisy chaos, only to drag you back with an ear-grabbing hook or a head-bobbing chorus that's pure pop/punk nirvana. The lyrics beguile as well (although usually only parts of phrases can be deciphered through the din of sonic guitars and Dorsey's impressively understated drumming,) on triumphant pop/punk anthems like "Guantanamo Calling," "Messy Apartment," "One Act Play!," and "Information In." Lucas' acoustic plaint "Please Stop Stealing My Car" provides both a aural respite and comic relief mid-album. With those scratchy vocals and bouncy rhythms, Jawbreaker comparisons are both inevitable and well-earned, but Dead Mechanical is quickly carving out its own unique niche somewhere on the border of post- and pop- punk.
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