Wrapped in a printed sheet of tar paper comes a compilation of some 26 songs that push the boundaries of music, or better yet, sound. “Experimental” is sometimes a euphemism for unpolished or raw, and that does apply to several of the tracks on the album. On the other hand, many of these bands feature some crafty and creative musicians from up and down the east coast (and Ohio), though most are from Georgia. Given the huge number of songs, Our Heat (Your Moisture) is a great way to get a small taste of a whole lotta bands. Even better, the bands have great creative names too, like Dan Acaroid Resin Factory, Heinous Bienfang, Who Killed Teacher?, The Mudflap Girls from Venus, and simply, Bob.
But what you aren’t getting is an easy listen. Categorization is flat out impossible, except that this is not mainstream music. Much of the album is biting, minimalist or discordant (or all three combined). It will test the patience of a casual listener. For people willing to make the effort however, the 26 bands here display a variety of interests and approaches to sound. One immediately suspects that this was exactly the plan, given the Scuss/Pineal Ventana/Routerwhelm crowd’s eagerness to challenge audiences. So, therein lies the question… are ya up to it or what? SCUSS, P.O. Box 55138, Atlanta, GA 30308-0138
