Greg Fox’s decision to leave Liturgy might not have been a wise decision career-wise, but it’s interesting to think about the result: Liturgy now relies on a drum machine to middling effect, and Guardian Alien, Fox’s new band, are off to a smashing start by way of a swashbuckling LP on Monofonus Press, a more proper release on Thrill Jockey, a host of below-ground coverage, and this tape. Culled from a live performance, Drums > Space > Jam suffers for its immediacy at times, benefits at others. The vocals, repetitive and cloying, denigrate the proceedings when they appear, yet as part of a bigger picture, they’re nothing to get hung about, as I’ve heard much worse accompaniment from improv-den vocal performances. Besides, knowing this was a Space Jam, it’d be false not to expect a little Michael Jordan, and every player gets a rock or two the-fuck OFF (or, AWF). It’s raw side to Guardian Alien (and that’s saying something; this ain’t exactly Smashing Pumpkins); it’s wriggling, it’s spread thin; and it’s what the cassette format was created for: Expansive strawberry-fields jamz you can slather on an English muff or geek-out to on headphones.
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