Since their formation two years ago, it seems that everyone in Muncie but the mayor has played in The Lou Reeds. With their ominous name, revolving members, switching instruments and changing voices, I wasn't sure what to expect when I attended one of the band's recent practices. As I settled down to listen, I was prepared to dodge hurled beer bottles and witness terrible scenes of emotional turmoil, something like a Rudolph Giuliani press conference. They tore through a 40-minute set with hardly a hiccup. As influences, the band names Jesus Lizard, Slint, Elvis Costello, the Neeks, Brian Wilson and John Wyatt.
Music is sound.
Music equals noise. Noise equals music. In other words, it's up to me to describe what the band sounds like. Their music is, like Bob Dole, mostly hard, but intelligently so. Rarely has so much been said with so few words.