The Plastic Constellations: Crusades

Frenchkiss bands all owe something to Les Savy Fav–the Plastic Constellations included. Though their music may, uh, chug a lot more than the aforementioned mentioned art rockers, they still maintain that angular guitar and shouted group choruses and jam-packed verbal sing/talk assaults. Of course it all ultimately links back to the slightly math-rock-y beginnings of the Dischord bands. Call it melodic post-punk or something. Whatever the case, these youngsters (who were still young back in 2005 when this album came about) might be lumped into that whole emo thing with At the Drive-In, but that moniker isn’t really appropriate (for them or ATDI) as there’s too much cock in their walk. There’s too much pounding drum and ballsy bass lines and nary an acoustic guitar or whine in site. The bombast is certainly not tender on the ears, however, and prolonged listening, despite the album’s brevity, makes for booming headaches when one isn’t completely prepared for the onslaught. This band is a kind of all or nothing band for listeners, I imagine. If you hate it out of the gate, you’ll hate it. If you’re into it, you’ll like it through track ten, but will be just a tad glad there’s no track eleven.