 Haymarket
Riot
"Mog" CD
Thick
Records
Genres: indie rock, post-punk, math rock
Thick Records
POB 220245
Chicago IL 60622
Jul 26 - Aug 1 2004 |
Everyone seems to liken Haymarket Riot to Fugazi, which
is certainly a fair comparison, but I feel they've got a lot more in
common with Jawbox. Many of Mog's songs would not
feel out of place on the legendary For Your Own Special Sweetheart
- they've got the same uncontrolled energy and angularity. A
comparison to Drive Like Jehu also seems inescapable, so I'll
slip it in right here.
Mog starts off with the Minus The Bear-esque
"You Might Know Who We R, But We Know Who You R." Its
guitar-heavy sound is brought together by an infectious,
macho-but-sensitive chorus that treads ever so warily into emo
territory. "Cue" is pure Jawbox - imagine
"Jackpot Plus" but a little less catchy. "Uneasy
Consequence," a remarkably cooled-off post-punk number, is
something of an anomaly, and its originality is certainly a strong
point.
Mog is actually an intensively enjoyable listen,
particularly if you're in the mood for some fiery, angular indie
rock. This won't replace your whole Jawbox and Fugazi
collection, but it will make for a fine companion piece.
86%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
