Model A
Transmission Lost
own

From California comes a CD of heavy riffs, psychedelic noise, brilliant vocals and that good, ol' indie-vibe. The four-piece Model A go at it with energy, passion and confidence. And lots of reverb.

The six-track "Transmission Lost" CD opens with a short noise-fest, which goes straight into guitarist Patrick Wilson's precise-yet-loose riffing of "A Wasted Line". Singer Brandon Schilling takes off into hauntingly beautiful vocal lines, eventually taking the song into a tempo-gaining climax with his often-used falsetto.

"Chimera" takes the band into slightly calmer territory, while on "Rest Assured", the rhythm section of drummer Brennan Rose and bassist Thierry Sertyn create a cool and hypnotic groove for a catchy chorus. "We All Die Young" has a beautiful pop-like vocal melody, and features a hypnotic keyboard loop in an odd time signature. I just can't help it, as a progrock fan, it warms my heart to hear an indie band play in 13/8.

After four songs that stretch out for 7-8 minutes, the final two are of more "normal" length. "Telling" is dynamic mid-tempo rock, featuring more of Schillings great falsetto work, while "Le Berceau Du Bonheur" is more of a slow meditation on a walking bass line, almost bordering on jazz.

There are a few "wall of noise" moments on the CD, but the band never falls for the temptation of indulging in overly long noise-fests. It's always kept short and tasteful - the band shows an amount self-discipline and restraint that is absent in other, more experienced bands.

Had I not known that Model A were from California, I might have thought they were British. The music could be likened to a kind of lo-fi Radiohead, perhaps. In the end, though, Model A sound like Model A, and they should be checked out by anyone who cares about lo-fi- electro-indie-rock.

Copyright © 2004 Kentil'zha