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3.0 out of 5 stars
Encephalous Crime, June 16, 2009
This review is from: Encephalous Crime (Audio CD)
The Disco Biscuits, or "Bisco," as some of the 'in' crowd call them, have created a Jam Band based style which fuses Trance, Rock, Jazz, Reggae, and other styles. This album is their first release, on the independent lable of Diamond Riggs. Early versions of the album contain two live tracks from Summer 1996. The second printing, from 1999, features a live version of Basis For A Day recorded in 1998 that showcases the electronic direction the band progressively moved towards.
The Disco Biscuits are: Jon Gutwillig (guitar, vocals), Aron Magner (keyboards, vocals), Marc Brownstein (bass, vocals) and Sam Altman (drums). This album has a somewhat loose feel to it, like a debut album should, and it still manages to have some very cohesive moments, that don't sound like a rambling Jam Band. The organ playing of Magner really makes some of the songs like Mr. Don and The Devil's Waltz more listenable. The addition of Elliot Levin on Saxophones and flute makes Stone, The Devil's Waltz, and Pat & Dex more accessible to the listener.
The vocals on this album leave something to be desired; they sound young and slightly inexperienced, and don't have the vocal strength like on The Uncivilized Area or They Missed the Perfume. The jams can get a bit tiring and repetitive, which is the main flaw of this album. Rainbow Song and Pat & Dex are two of my favorites, and show the most potential in song writing, tight grooves, and vocals.
This is the Disco Biscuits at their most simple and basic, and is great for anyone who wants to see what this band sounded like at the beginning, before they became so heavily influenced by Trance and extended Jams. If you want to hear Bisco more as they are today, check out They Missed the Perfume or the Uncivilized Area.
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