Singer

Unhistories

BY Brock ThiessenPublished Mar 24, 2008

Getting into Singer depends on how much convention you like in your rock. If you can do without, welcome aboard. But if you need a little structure, a little something familiar to hang your hat on, this new Drag City act probably aren’t for you. Unhistories, the debut by this Chicago four-piece, is teeming with freeform, improv-styled arrangements that rapidly fall in and out of twisted math-like patterns. It’s a sound that equally hints at left-of-centre post-punk outfits like Pere Ubu, as well as more avant-garde artists such as Scott Walker, in his less-linear 4AD work. And this group aren’t called Singer for nothing, with the band’s duelling vocalists providing dense, multi-layered harmonies that are as complex as the compositions. What this all then leaves you with is one mind-fuck of a listen that’s anything but typical, showing a band not content simply following the status quo. And if you can handle it, this is always a good thing.
(Drag City)

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