The Megaphonic Thrift
The Megaphonic Thrift
Neues Records / Tuba

The Megaphonic Thrift (TMT) were described as 'probably the best Norwegian live band at the moment' (in 2009, by groove.no). The same year they put out their debut, an EP called A Thousand Years of Deconstruction. Their debut album, Decay Decoy (2010) took them further up and out; good reviews abroad (NME, Soundblab, etc.), gigging (clubs and festivals, not to forget support jobs for acts like Dinosaur Jr, Stephen Malkmus, and Band of Horses), and a good live band turned probably even better. The western coast quartet counts Richard Myklebust, Linn Frøkedal (also in The Low Frequency In Stereo), Fredrik Vogsborg (also one of the Casiokids) and Njål Clementsen (The Low Frequency In Stereo as well). Here's The Megaphonic Thrift - the album.

The Megaphonic Thrift holds 12 songs, and TMT's experimental noise rock is not, well, that noisy. It's quite a well-behaved and pleasing band that welcomes you on-board, with Linn and Richard sharing the vocal parts between them (this being one of TMT's trademarks). If one should point out some references Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo (especially "I Wanted You To Know") of later years could be quite fitting. TMT even twist and turn their way through some neo-psychedelic bushes or undergrowth. And, yes, I'd like to mention that here's a lot of delicate and delicious guitar playing on this album. Much of it in the vein of Thurston Moore and J Mascis, but it's far from being thievery.

Sometimes TMT reminds me of a slightly rougher Lukestar, with a less high pitch voice, mind you. Of other Norwegian bands I Was a King and The Low Frequency in Stereo could be mentioned, even though the former is more of a straight-forward bubblegum-fuzzed, indie-rock band, while the latter roams the post-rock alleys. Btw, is Linn Frøkedal related to Anne Lise Frøkedal (of Harrys Gym and I Was a King)? However, The Megaphonic Thrift stand out as a clear sounding and focused band, with attitude and spine. Among the best tracks are "Raising Flags" and "Broken Glass/Yellow Fingers", "Kill, Breathe and Frown", "Over The Mountain, Down In A Teaspoon" and "Spaced Out". And, yes, the quiet "I Wanted You To Know" is a slow-floating beauty.

The Megaphonic Thrift for sure is an indeed fine and solid album, and it'll probably stand out as such when the year ebbs as well.

Copyright © 2012 Håvard Oppøyen