steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

Hi Red Center

"Assemble" CD

Joyful Noise Recordings

Genre: experimental rock

Michigan, USA

Mar 12, 2009

Also on Indieville: The members of Hi Red Center select their ten crucial records!

What do you know? Another solid release from Indianapolis' Joyful Noise label! This little imprint has been carved out a name for itself on the indie scene in the past few years (Stationary Odyssey, Grampall Jookabox), and Hi Red Center is the latest addition to their impressive roster. These folks play unconventional rock music bolstered by dense, fuzzy synths. The formula is sometimes spastic and sometime mellow, but always interesting.

The band's charm is most evident on a song like "Symmetry Chameleon," which meshes precise angularity with a chaotic attitude. The blocks of synths and geeky, stretched-out vocals complement a strange sort of melody that's more fun to experience than to describe. Also impressive are Deerhoof-y "Trees in a Row" and mellow "Lullaby," although I find myself skipping past irritating "Los Olvidados." Hi Red Center are quirky folks who have assembled (yuk yuk) a solid sophomore effort here. A little more time on the slow-cooker will make their next record a bit more confident and listenable, but for now they've cemented their position as notable purveyors of unusual rock music.

hi red center's myspace

80%

youuuuuuuutube!: "trees in a row" live

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 5 tracks, distributed by the label, released 2008]