Made In Mexico

It was worrisome when an initial web search about Made in Mexico turned up only a heated debate over the quality of "Farewell Myth" from their previous full-length, Zodiac Zoo. The argument was on a Guitar Hero 3 forum, you see. Those angry bee guitar lines lacerate the songs on Guerrilaton as well and come courtesy of ex-Arab on Radar axe-man Jeff Schneider. The idea of a band from Providence, RI sounding like an early '80s no wave tribute act transposed from NYC to Guadalajara is not exactly a no-brainer. Singer Rebecca Mitchell brings a dirty cantina romance to her better-medicated Lydia Lunch stylings. The rhythm section of Jon Loper and Dare Matheson seamlessly flip between post-math polyrhythms and appropriately tango-esque breakdowns, though that central trick may be repeated too often to maintain its impact. "Gringoton" illustrates a lateral anti-American/call to arms thread that runs through lines like "It rises/It strangles/In strangeness/Its rivals." If Alex Cox ever makes Straight to Hell II, these guys are shoe-ins for the house band. But seriously, an Arab on Radar guitarist on Guitar Hero 3? Wow.