steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

review
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info opinion

New Black

Self-titled CD

THICK Records

Genres: indie rock, punk rock

THICK Records
PO Box 220245
Chicago IL 60622

May 24 - 30 2004

New Black's sound takes some getting used to, but once you've been assimilated to their unique brand of outrageous, new wave/no-wave indie rock, you could be in for a real treat. This self-titled disc is the band's THICK Records debut, and it totally fits into the label's philosophy.

The New Black style places a lot of focus on melody, but is also very concerned with mood and texture - the music is playful, using lots of interesting concepts and sonic experiments to lend the songs a wide array of attitudes and feels. "RobotoboR," for example, has a bit of a secret spy tinge, while "Last Wave" has a definite chase-like structure. The variety of compositional styles can seem a bit disjointed, although it also adds lastability to the disc - it never seems to become monotonous, although the band's wily antics could become a bit tiresome to more conservative listeners.

Overall, this is a tremendously enjoyable debut for New Black; while it probably won't become a large success, it should garner itself a decent enough niche audience. Give this disc a try if you're up for some melodic, exciting indie rock without pretension.

87%

Matt Shimmer

[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by the label, released 2004]