Well, it seems that Tristan Psionic has contracted a musically transmitted form of album dyslexia with their latest batch of tunes, entitled simply Mind the Gap. When they stepped out of the London tube car depicted on the album's gatefold cover, they must've bonked their heads on the ceiling-- the two truly remarkable songs on this album have been reversed from their rightful places in the track order.

"Promise," the album's 10˝ minute opener would serve as the perfect finale to a collaboration between Pedro the Lion (the meditative "song" section) and Sonic Youth (the ensuing feedback squall). Instead, it announces the presence of an album of unusually straightforward indie rock. Likewise, "Can't Wait Forever" bursts forth with an oddly psychedelic hard punk sound that would be a great leadoff for an album of head-nodding party jams. Here, it gets us all riled up for a heaping helping of nothing.

The remainder of this album would be disappointing if I had any real expectations for it, like if I were one of Tristan Psionic's Canadian fans. But I did expect something that, at the very least, tried a little harder, especially considering that these guys are the heads of their own record label. Sonic Unyon at least amounts to something (particularly in the distribution area), even if their flagship band doesn't.

The only tracks that distinguish Tristan Psionic from the cesspool of generically punkish rock are the ones where an alternate vocalist dons a British accent (these folks are Canadian, by the way), and this album's trilogy of Casio noise epidemics: "Mimico," "Longbranch" and "Union Station." Sadly, none of this adds up to anything worth mentioning, aside from being a worthy example of unmemorable nondescription.

So that leaves me with two tracks I'd want to listen to again, and 12 that I don't, particularly. This seems like a job for Captain Cut-Out! Slowly, to the I-Couldn't-Care-If-You-Paid-Me Mobile!

-Craig Griffith