By
Phil Leckman
Grade: A
Although rap-metal has temporarily revived the fortunes of rock, mainstream rock remains mired in a creative vacuum that rewards monotonous, sound-alike drivel at the expense of anything interesting or innovative. As the flood of plodding Korn clones continues to mount, the possibility of something different or - gasp! - new seems almost too much to hope for.
Enter the El Paso, Texas band At the Drive-in. Few bands in recent years have generated as much excitement as this thundering five-piece, and, Relationship of Command, its latest album, more than lives up to the hype. This is a wide-ranging, ambitious offering, combining blazing energy, innovative rhythms and catchy, chaotic melodies.
At the Drive-in emerged from the punk subculture and retains the best of that genre's frenzy and fire. This album moves far beyond the boundaries of any particular style, however, incorporating random sound effects, jazzy bass lines and ambient piano dubs.
The only weakness here is the lyrics, essentially nonsense juxtapositions of random SAT words. Since each song is delivered with an intensity befitting a Biblical psalm, it would be nice if the words actually meant something.
In a world where "I did it all for the nookie/so you can get your cookie" is considered profound, however, bad lyrics are hardly a punishable offense. Blending influences from Rage Against the Machine to early 1970s David Bowie into a compelling and original whole, Relationship of Command sounds like nothing on current rock radio, but should appeal to everyone with an appetite for ferocious, exciting music.
