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Mocket - Pro Forma |
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ALBUM REVIEWSPick of the Chick: Our Favorite Releases, 1999-Present |
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On their third full-length album, Olympia, Washington's Mocket--vocalist/bassist/organist Audrey Marrs and vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Matt Steinke--team up with Rachel Carns and Radio Sloan of Chainsaw Records' postmodern punk darlings, The Need. The result is a fascinating synth-pop mixture of electronic instruments (some of which Steinke invented) and quirky melodies, with some Farfisa organ thrown in for good measure. Pro Forma's 13-song mix of Casio bleeps and bloops ("Saturnalia"), robotic chant-like vocals ("Law Of Averages"), and unusual machine-like elements ("Spelling Effect") is both new wave/early industrial and futuristic punk rock. The quick tempos and precise drum patterns give tracks such as "Spot-For-Best-Vision" and "Un-Man" a punk feel, while other songs like "Monitress" and "Magic & Ecstasy" are just plain rock. Marrs's engaging vocals give the album the humanness it needs to keep from sounding cold and mechanical like so much electronica. The album evokes memories of bands such as Devo, Kraftwerk, and Stereolab, while maintaining its own distinct sound. With its avant-garde, futuristic mix of punk, new wave, and industrial, Pro Forma is a welcomed break from the tired old indie formula. PIGEONHOLE: A quirky combination of electronica, synth-pop, and punk.
Lara Warren |
MOCKET
