L.A.-based pop culture junkies Graf Orlock have set the bar exceptionally high for themselves — their third full-length comes after some exceptionally ambitious releases. In addition to being able to integrate references to cult, action and science fiction films in their music on a level few other bands can even begin to match, Graf Orlock exceed at creating entire concept albums based on other media with exceptional sophistication and finesse. They are also masters at crazy packaging; their Doombox EP was released in an actual, life-sized cardboard boom box.
Crime Traveler, however, attempts to do something even more conceptually ambitious by being about a B-movie written, filmed by and starring members of the band. That's right: Instead of just drawing on existing films, Graf Orlock decided to create their own material to harvest for a record. The full-length is about a French-Canadian assassin who tears apart the time-space continuum and goes back in time to change Canadian history, killing American politicians so Canada can become a global superpower. The record is everything that makes an exceptional bad movie: unapologetically excessive and over the top, choosing fun over sense every time. The resulting record's a bit of a mess, but it's a hell of a lot of fun.
(Vitriol)Crime Traveler, however, attempts to do something even more conceptually ambitious by being about a B-movie written, filmed by and starring members of the band. That's right: Instead of just drawing on existing films, Graf Orlock decided to create their own material to harvest for a record. The full-length is about a French-Canadian assassin who tears apart the time-space continuum and goes back in time to change Canadian history, killing American politicians so Canada can become a global superpower. The record is everything that makes an exceptional bad movie: unapologetically excessive and over the top, choosing fun over sense every time. The resulting record's a bit of a mess, but it's a hell of a lot of fun.