AFCGT: Noise and Abbreviations

A music that sports theoretical backing is a confounding thing. There’s not necessarily a way by which to figure that any group of musicians adheres to some strict set of standards unless otherwise noted somewhere. And AFCGT (A-Frames/Climax Golden Twins) don’t seem to be too big on explaining stuff – as well they shouldn’t be.

Regardless, the merger of the two disparate groups a few years back already yielded a self titled disc brimming with genre checks and some perceived avant leanings. Again, there’s not necessarily some rock solid, preconceived stuff propping all of this music up. But when listeners hear the mess of rock and noise splayed out all over the group’s latest disc, most are going to want the key to understanding it all.

Before delving head long into the nine tracks that comprise AFCGT’s latest self titled effort – yeah, just like the Spits, another Seattle group, these guys have chosen to just go the simple route of naming all of its discs the same thing – it’s worth noting that while the vast majority of this ensembles work is a scatter shot assemblage of sounds. And while there might be some prefigured attempt at being a wacky rock ensemble, the difference in what’s related aurally from track to track is just short of shocking.

The nod to no-wave persists here as the influence has been present on other earlier releases. But in a slight departure from the ensembles other works is the creepy spoken word stuff on “Nacht.” While the mutterings might come off as some cultish metal thing, the track winds up being tied to all the downer drone music that the northwest has been cultivating for sometime. With Sun O))) running around town, its cloaked ambience was certain to make inroads on other group’s discs.

Despite the slight departure, all of the prerequisite noisome nonsense is still there. “Punk 27” might be the most entertaining and schizoid offering represented over the expanse of this Sub Pop released disc. In just over the course of three minutes, though, AFCGT is able to work in some Sonic Youth styled rock stuffs, indulgent drum fills, a weird blue grass styled guitar line and early ‘80s thrash. And even if that sounds a bit problematic, it’s not. The band is able to use any one of its three guitars and the feedback that each issues forth as a bridge from one (almost) unrelated section to the next. It isn’t the most brilliant and conceptually heavy offering of the year so far, but the track does demonstrate this ensembles ability to find some meeting ground for a wealth of influence.

At times – mostly on the album closer “Slide 9” – it’s difficult to tell what’s going on and why. With all of the brash experimentalism of the disc, the slower moments briefly lull listeners into complacency. And that’s not really what this music is about. Nope, AFCGT isn’t for dancing, but it is meant to be abrasive. The closer might not work in that regard, but even with its odd low key ambience, the track’s able to display a band sifting through a wealth of ideas.