Talker
On U.S. Maple's third CD,Talker, Chicago's avant-garde pranksters display a particularly unorthodox approach toward indie rock. Boasting a singer, two guitars, and a drummer (no bassist!), the quirky quartet unleashes a shambling, arrhythmic sound that defies convention. Vocalist Al Johnson literally bleats, moans, and gurgles while the guitars of Mark Shippy and Todd Rittman scrape metallically and hum with low-end feedback. Despite (or perhaps because of) their nonmelodic approach to song form, U.S. Maple are an engaging ensemble. Their use of traditional instrumentation in an untraditional fashion harks back to earlyPere Ubu, vintageCaptain Beefheart, and other insurgent rock deconstructionists from days gone by. While just over 30 minutes long,Talkeris filled with enough strange music to last you a lifetime.--Mitch Myers