At Random
Box Seat EP
Own label

At Random may be an unknown name for most of you, but they have a long history of recordings behind them, starting in 1991 with their first cassette EP. Since then they have released three full-length CDs, and finally this year's Box Seat EP. At Random are a duo consisting of brothers Jonathan (guitars, vocals) and Andrew (bass, keyboards) Muecke. Through the years they have been accompanied by a changing row of musicians, although drummer Paul McCarlie seems to have been with them all along.

The first of the five tracks on this EP is a video (CD-ROM). I didn't notice at first, so when my CD-player produced a digital burp and halted, I stared longingly at my vinyl collection ... Skipping to track two, we get the title track (Box Seat), which starts off low-key, with vocals sung through a phone or something, but the refrain is moderately fuzzed up. That Reminds Me features Ramya V., adding colour with her (mostly non-lyrical) floating vocals. I notice that At Random like changing moods within songs by placing calmer parts against more rocking themes. Not a very original recipe perhaps, but here it works fine.

One More Time is a slightly faster song, with hip-hop like, cheap-sounding synth (or sampled) percussion, and once again with Ramya's voice more or less in the background. Other sounds are also floating around this beat, making it a suitable soundtrack for ... a suitable visual sequence (it is no surprise to learn that some of At Random's songs have been used for films and television). The last track, Man In The Moon, has Jon doing the lead vocals (I guess) on a song that sounds like it's been created around the bass movements.

Judging from this and some of their previous releases, At Random's music ranges wide. From sparse moody soundscapes, through smooth pop and slick funk, to feedbacking guitar rock. Some interesting, some forgettable. I definitely like them better when they use a female singer.

At Random can be contacted at atrandom@fan.net.au.

Copyright © 1998 Knut Tore Breivik