Oxford Collapse - Some Wilderness

Genre Rock Publisher Kanine Records External Links Official Site Kanine Records

Oxford Collapse released their first LP, Some Wilderness, below the radar of the over-hyped New York Art Rock push of recent memory. The Brooklyn threesome can be summed up as one part Franz-like-dance-beat-bass-lines over one-part Rum-Diary-esque indie space pounds, fronted by one-part pinched megaphone vocal chord calls.

On Land!, lead singer/guitarist Michael Pace chants an urgent La-Da-Da-Da-La-Da-Da-Da-Da over a swirling pounding space intro filled in with heavy looping guitar. 1991 Kids has some of that hooky bass previously mentioned with more of the same franticly loose and muffled singing.

Upon the first couple listens, the vocals can be somewhat of a distraction when compared to the amazing musical output, but let them sink into the background and enjoy the bouncy head bopping beats and indie-guitar-rock-space-outs and that distraction should become nothing more than white noise.

I would nominate the track, Melting the Ice Queen to be included on the year-end Static Review Mix, if there is such a thing. Melting the Ice Queen, clocking in at 6:34, is a slow building prog-rock blast-off jam that includes handclaps and start-stop-restarts. This, the album's longest and best song, sums up the sound and potential of these art rockers. Melting the Ice Queen is the one song that has been included from their self-titled EP. Listen to it, quote it by name, and impress your friends with your newly found indie-rock cred.

These guys have a genius knack for song titles. From The Money You Have Is Maybe Too Little, Totally Gay, Totally Fat, For Buds, Not Boston, and The Tribal Rites Of The New Saturday Night are all hilarious titles and worthy listens as well. Totally Gay, Totally Fat proves to be a good one-two punch follow up to ...Ice Queen with its howling ahh-woo vocal and infectious bass beat.

With Some Wilderness, Oxford Collapse should start making some blips on musical radars. Their tight mix of space, loose punk, and dance-floor-bass-lines are unique. Pay attention to this band, something great is in store. The one bit of discouraging news is that bassist Yong Sing Da Silva has already left the group for other endeavors. Let's hope his replacement can fill his formidable shoes without too much discomfort and Oxford Collapse can fulfill the promise and potential put out in their debut full-length.