Christiansen

If the race to replace At the Drive-In as the next big thing in post-punk art rock were to end today, these two bands would have to be declared co-winners, as they represent the two sides of ATDI's bi-polar personality. The sophomore release from Louisville sluggers Christiansen is the brooding, melodic side, offering six songs that fuse the beautiful sonic wallop of Quicksand and the noodley riffing of No Knife. Sweden's Trapdoor Fucking Exit, on the other hand, represent the frenetic Iggy Pop/MC5 garage side. Their scrappy guitars, lo-fi production and blistering rhythms also recall early works of fellow countrymen Refused, although as the bio proudly proclaims - possibly because of the inevitable comparisons - this band features no ex-members of Refused. Fans of El Paso's late-great ATDI, as well as anyone who appreciates their post punk with healthy doses of attitude and imagination, would do well to pick up both releases.