Alphabaggage, the debut album for three piece garage band The Illustrated, is incredibly diverse. Loud and raw Sonic Youth-esque indie rock leads to avant-garde instrumentals then to folk/country ballads; this album has a little bit of everything. After a 40-second intro of noise, cheering and drum rolls, the first three tracks are standard hard rock/post-punk. “The Zahir” sounds like a new demo track for My Bloody Valentine with its spoken/singing vocals and simple guitar riffs. However, the track that stands out on this album is undoubtedly “A Torch Is Lit,” an old-school country/blues rock ballad which is, inevitably, slightly cheesy but still a lot of fun.

It’s hard to classify it as anything other than “rock” since it covers so much ground, but that is the album’s strength. The Illustrated are a band to watch, and I’m eagerly anticipating their next album, Betageist.

The Illustrated - Racecar

The Illustrated - Monsters Awake!

The Illustrated - Sean Mower

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In support of their debut album ¡Gross!, Seattle’s Pleasureboaters have played in front of audiences all over the nation, receiving widespread acclaim and praise for their live show. Brought to us through Don’t Stop Believin’ Records, their group rings of post-hardcore classics, with sounds ranging from Quicksand to Sonic Youth, but while their reputation precedes them, the album itself seems too cluttered, tedious, and noisy to consider for casual listening. With vocals reminiscent of early Fugazi, guitar riffs and bass lines comparable to the simple, upbeat sounds of other post-hardcore/punk inspired bands like These Arms Are Snakes or Drive Like Jehu, theres just not much to make this band stand out among an ever-growing crowd.

Pleasureboaters live

Not to say that ¡Gross! doesn’t have some damn catchy moments. Though slightly repetitive, songs such as Leopard Print Babyware and Andolou offer some really cool intervals and energetic tones; however, the other songs on the record are overwhelming. The cliched and repetitive riffs become grating. In their efforts to achieve a new undefined sound they end up more like an incoherent mixture of groups from the genre.

If you see Pleasureboaters in your local show listings, consider checking them out for a loud, crazy, hopefully good time. I can see songs such as State of the Union and Elliptical Realism being highly energetic and crowd inspiring; however, most of the material on ¡Gross! isn’t grabbing enough to take seriously through speakers in a stereo or a pair of headphones. At least this time around Pleasureboaters prove that energy doesn’t always make up for mediocrity.

Pleasureboaters - Deck Hand Paterson

Pleasureboaters - Elliptical Realism

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The term “sludge” may imply a thick, muddy, gooey substance, but mr. Gnome’s Deliver this Creature is anything but cloudy or vague, as this Ohio two-piece sections out their niche with a hatchet instead of masking it in a thick fog. Comparisons to Isis and Pelican may be fair, but the sludge metal sound is just one facet to mr. Gnome. While it is hard to describe their sound without using the word “meets,” or by dropping several other band names into a blender, it’s important to note that mr. Gnome doesn’t borrow from others, nor does he cut and paste. mr. Gnome makes the whole much greater than the sum of its parts.

While the sludgy grindcore of Isis’ Oceanic (as its name implies) did make me feel lost at sea, drifting aimlessly, occasionally being tossed about by merciless waves. mr. Gnome’s Deliver this Creature feels more like a desert, but it’s anything but lifeless. It’s seemingly endless. It’s incendiary. The outcome is uncertain, but instead of plodding along wondering if you’ve covered any ground at all, imagine yourself blazing through it all in a fucking dune buggy.

This album has a dynamic pacing like that of the Melvins’ (A) Senile Animal, times two. It’s hard to find one boring or uninteresting moment on this album, although there are times where you might mistakenly think you’re dozing off to Fugazi’s the Argument (”I’m Alright,” “the Machine,” “Pirates”). mr. Gnome may be quick to play the Sandman and lull you into a narcotic hypersleep, but as soon as your eyes are closed, he’s yelling “wake the fuck up!” It’s hard to explain how something that sounds this dangerous can also be this delicate.

The album’s only misstep is the seemingly obligatory hidden track. Are tracks hidden when they just don’t fit? Does a band do this when they consider a song too “out there” to be included with the rest? I think this track is hidden because it sounds like spending a sunny afternoon in your backyard listening to windchimes, which doesn’t quite measure up after you’ve spent who knows how long in the desert on a dune buggy.

mr. Gnome - Pirates

Buy the record here