So I get this folder with this CD, it's got a "press clippings" pak bound together with industrial staples, like 60 pages. I guess that leaves it to me to say something shitty about them. Okay.

After about 35 lackluster listens, it remains on the "to do" pile because it is so friggin' washed-out wall- of- sound monotonous. There's a constant, nonstop guitar jangle washing over the whole album along with grey vocals and nondescript electronica bells and whistles thrown in. The best parts of the CD's are the first ten seconds of each track when there's some distinguishing characteristics to the song, before it gets swallowed up into the cold greyness that each track becomes. It makes sense that they're from Portland because the music is endowed of that enervating wash of noise which is more typical for bands from (the also rain-laden) England. You could do better than this for your money. It might be cool now, but wait a month. Buy Mansun instead.

-James P. Wisdom