If the band name looks familiar that's because it probably is. This is the Swedish band formerly known as Kevlar - forced to change their name by DuPont for legal reasons or some such nonsense. This is a bit different than what I've heard from the band in the past. It's still got an indie rock sort of thing going on, but leaning more towards actual atypical rock (think Dinosaur Jr.'s calmer/darker moments with far better singing and way less distortion - I'd also make some musical comparisons to Interpol as well). Most songs run less than three or four minutes, but a few stretch past five or even nine. The song structures are perhaps more simplistic than some of the band's older material, but I would say they're employing a hell of a lot more layering and subtle complexity here. There are tons of layered vocal harmonies going on in the distance, the guitars are hard panned and often work together with the bass and drums without doubling their parts, etc. "Spit" is a bit more caustic and abrasive, while "The Red Bulletin" is somewhat darker and more minimal, and "What's Left Belongs to No One" closes at nearly 10 minutes of the most somber and unique piece on the disc. There definitely tends to always be a nearly constant emphasis on a driving sense of rhythm, no matter what the overall tone of the particular song. I love the recording. Everything is nice and warm with a really dry, natural sound. It's not totally clear all the time, but there is a lot of detail in each individual tone, and they blend together very nicely with no gaps whatsoever. The percussion and vocals are deep in with the guitars and bass, no one element dominates or leans too far towards the front. The CD comes in a nice digipack with simple high contrast artwork of a stylized face and a similar image of the band underneath the CD. The only colors used are black and dark red, with lots of blank white space tastefully employed. Unfortunately no lyrics are included, and many of the song titles could be suggestive of several angles ("Fed on a Hook", "Traitors and Thieves", etc.). Very cool. I'm glad to have heard this, and would recommend it for those looking for something curious and generally pretty calm. Good work.
[It's a Trap]
Running time - 42:37, Tracks: 10
[Notable tracks: Slow Clapping, The Red Bulletin, What's Left Belongs to No One]
It's a Trap - http://www.itsatrap.com
