In a world inundated with garage-rockers and jock-rockers, one things remains incredibly clear: none of those acts has come close to annihilating the dreadful phenomenon (synonymous with boob jobs, nose jobs, and other jobs of nihilistic self-defecation) known as Teen Pop. Though the reclusive Giddy Motors hardly has a chance to form a successful coup through its modest label Fat Cat (nor would it aspire to), in a hypothetical world where radio stations, MTV, MTV2, and MTV3 actually played credible musicians, Giddy Motors would be on the cover of all those teen magz, posing like disciples from the musical heaven above. But let's face it: the line between good and bad music has been clearly defined for ages now; so defined, in fact, that it's trivial to even discuss its existence. Except, of course, when such esoteric bands like Giddy Motors creates a record with "Pop" in the title. (See how I justify my un-inventiveness?)
Formed in London in 1999, the trio of Gaverick de Vis (guitar/vocals), Manu Ros (drums), and Gordon Ashdown (bass) need not worry about the line. Their music is as likely to be on MTV as Howard Zinn on FOX News. Recorded in nine days in Chicago by Steve Albini, Make It Pop harnesses a raw, primitive sound that fits perfectly with the jagged drum chops and dissonant strumming throughout. From the abrasive insanity of "Sassy" to the fluid "Dog Hands," Make It Pop does the impossible by juxtaposing near-opposites, cohesively and un-awkwardly. And it manages to do this in just under 35 minutes partitioned into eight tracks. Short and poignant, yet incredibly ambitious. This is not your Grandma's indie rock.
One of Make It Pop's most successful feats is the seamless fusing of the quasi-disparate elements of jazz and punk, causing songs like "Cranium Crux" to owe as much to Pixies as Miles Davis. But when push comes to shove, the band owes nothing. Take "Magmanic," for example. The song tramples through its many sections with incredible acrobatic skills, creating a template that is augmented and diminished throughout the rest of the album. Though "Magmanic" may echo a number of bands of yore, saying the song "owes" anything is a slap in the face. Hell, "Magmanic" nearly justifies the album rating alone.
Embracing idiosyncrasy over complacency, Make It Pop invites journalistic clichés, such as "angular" and "tight." But for once, this holds true. You couldn't stick a peanut in there without "making it pop." And yet, the album still feels like a breath of fresh air, with its floating counterpoints and freewheelin' milieu. It's like an inebriated robot doing the "standing still" atop a rotating bar graph. Anyway, since journalistic clichés are one of Tiny Mix Tape's fortes, I'd like to end the review with another one that fits so damn nicely, it would be a shame not to use it: "Make It Pop is one of the most unique albums I've heard in a long time. Although it is by no means perfect, it is still a very strong and consistent album. The scariest part, however, is that this is their first album." Buy it or buy it. Giddy Motors is a threat to the status quo.
1. Magmanic
2. Hit Cap
3. Bottle Opener
4. Cranuim Crux
5. Sassy
6. Dog Hands
7. Venus Medallist
8. Whirled by Curses
More about: Giddy Motors
