A Perfect Circle

Due out on the U.S. Election Day, eMOTIVE features ten cover songs with two originals and possesses an obvious anti-war theme. Next time the group may want to put more thought into their political agenda however, as it seems Election Day is at least one day too late to affect people’s voting decisions. Filled with work from a diverse list of artists, ranging from Joni Mitchell to Black Flag, the first listen of this release will turn off anybody expecting complimentary replicas of old hits. Instead, APC attempt to make the songs their own. They succeed with a haunting version of "When the Levee Breaks” and a nightmarish minor key adaptation of John Lennon’s "Imagine.” Adversely, the group’s take on "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie” is absolutely grating, and Depeche Mode’s "People are People” is dismantled beyond repair. Where the disc truly shines is in the original "Counting Bodies like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums," where marching beats and war-themed samples are used to accentuate the song’s already obvious point across. Ultimately, this album misses more than hits. Anybody jonesing for some APC, however, can at least get their quick fix for now.