5.0 out of 5 stars
The perfect prosthetic..., March 15, 2010
This review is from: Rotation (Audio CD)
The Iowa City sound, that sweet 'n' crunchy brand of guitar-driven indie rock that proliferated in the central Iowa college town between 1995-2003 (see: Ten Grand, Vida Blue, Mr. Blandy's Dreamhouse), reached a peak with Nolan's sole full-length effort Rotation. Rising from the ashes of emo-refugees Alto Heceta, proggers Speed of Sauce, and dronecore outfit Burn Disco Burn, Nolan takes the "kitchen sink" approach to songwriting, both sonically and emotionally. Singer Dino Balducci's vocals evoke every breakup and bittersweet closing time you've ever had, and his glitteringly arpeggiated guitar lines are the cake to the lyrics' icing. The rhythm section, comprised of Chris Elkins on bass and Jake Minkley on drumkit, winds tightly underneath, laying a syncopated foundation with the drive and oomph of a freight train that just broke up with you.
Highlights include "Galleries", "California", "Testing", "My Morning Waitress", "Take the Keys", "Rotation (Valerie)", "The Flashing Lights", "Slower", and "Take the Keys".
Perfect for midwest indie rock junkies like myself.
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