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Microtia
Spacemaker
Self Financed 2010
Portland's newest musical export are the intense, emotional yet progressive post-punkers and Spacemaker is their sophomore effort. Right from the get-go you know these guys mean business. The throbbing bass and the pleading vocals of Can You Hear the Jets excite the senses and lay the groundwork for the turbulent guitars that froth in different directions. An almost goth feeling settles in with the strange synths and the ominous riffs that circulate in the vibrant spectrum. The spacey jam session that opens Interlude is an avalanche of drumming and sparkling guitars that tumble towards the melancholic, almost The Smiths-like musings of The Early Fish Gets the Worm which is highlighted by Eric's vocals that soar and crush you at the same time. At times I am reminded a little of the post-punkers Whirlpool, both in the use of thick basslines and cosmic shaped soundscapes. This is perfectly framed by the raucous energy and trembling frailty of I'll Fight Harpsichord. Acoustic guitar at the beginning of Add Insult to Injury purges your mind of the driving rock riffs that dominated Tone Mountain vs The Body of Riffage. Awkward Voivod-esque weirdness is injected into the otherwise ho-hum swaying on Add Insult to Injury and the deep almost trollish vocals that finish the song seem a little out of place. Some of the songs are a bit too long and slow developing for their own good. With that said, Spacemaker has some truly shining moments that conquer the day for the album and Eric's vocals are a light in the dark, as he has a truly emotional quality about him. Microtia is a really unique band that pushes against classification.
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