Summary
Sophisticated musicianship, conceptual-poetic lyrics, aggressive experimentation, the usual art-rock accoutrements, and a really sick drummer -- throw these in a blender in Toronto in the early 1970s, and you might end up with Rush. Assemble similar elements in Pittsburgh today, and you get the progressive underground dance-rock of The [Mary Celeste]. Our Guernica, The Mary Celeste's debut EP, captures the band's live energy while showcasing a melodic intricacy, modified disco beats and interlocking guitars in counterpoint with lyrics describing "the politics of internal war," delivered in Eli Kasan's Fugazi-influenced vocals. Highlights include "Black Scraps of Paper," in which guitarist Stacy Mackin channels Alex Lifeson for a fiery prog solo, and "This Is America, Not a Miracle," a 5/4 groove featuring spoken word from Scott MacIntyre and a bootlegged Charles Bukowski. The true standout track may be the "Teenage-Riot"-flavored "Some Mouths," which should soon be a staple of basement dance parties up and down the White Belt.
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Extract
The Mary Celeste; Beautiful Terrible Ideas
A wall-to-wall audience of young, sober indie kids groove out as the drummer drops a hard dance beat and stares into space. His head enclosed by red plastic hearing protectors and a mop of curls, he's only dimly aware of the other musicians flailing...
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