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Rating: ¡Alfaro Vive, Carajo!
At The Drive-In returns to the scene with their second release, a four-track EP with the barely hinted title that shares the same name as a clandestine leftist Ecuadorian movement from the early '80s. We are in June 1995.
They arrive after a good but still too raw "Hell Paso" and with a lineup change: Davy Simmons replaces Bernie Rancun on drums, while on vocals we have the legendary Cedric Bixler-Zavala, on guitars Jarrett Wrenn and fellow longtime member Jim Ward, on bass Kenny Hopper.
A lineup that seemed stable but later Wrenn and Hopper would leave to form the instrumental Math Rock band Crime In Choir; new members will then join for what will be their first full-length "Acrobatic Tenement", including Omar Rodríguez-López.
The Texans from El Paso are boys with a lot of adolescent anger circulating, all more or less around their 20s and they show a strong search for "self" as individual members but especially as a musical collective. You can see it and, in particular, you hear it.
They immediately start off with "high-speed" tracks: if "Bradley Smith" presents itself with a strong Emocore influence, with "Instigate The Role" the tones become harder and more Post-Hardcore. In the latter track, there is a significant improvement in arrangements, starting with what happens behind the drums of newcomer Davy Simmons; quite articulated compared to the opener, with Bixler-Zavala ready to engage in other vocal techniques, screams for example, although still of mediocre quality.
The dissonant sonic violence of "Ludvico Drive-In" continues in the same vein, greatly characterized by the female choruses of Laura Beard and Sarah Reiser, friends of Bixler-Zavala tragically deceased two years later in a car accident. An episode he will talk about in "Napoleon Solo", among the key tracks of "In/Casino/Out".
The turning point comes in the last track "Circuit Scene": the tones initially soften, are sweet and melancholic, accompanied by male choirs of Jim Ward this time... then everything explodes, the drums sound the insane charge, multiple voices start yelling, bass and guitars cease to be minimal and it starts a true At The Drive-In style fair. The true gem of this release.
They are coming... or rather, they were about to arrive!
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Bradley Smith (02:43)
and i know that he's there
and i know he's there [x2]
you're wide awake brad
wide awake brad
and i know that he's there
and i know he's there [x2]
oh yeah
wake up bradley, wake up
we could think about a little much gusto
wake up bradley, wake up
because its all i got now
wake up bradley, wake up
'cause its all i got
and i know that he's there
and i know he's there [x2]
you're wide awake brad
wide awake brad
and i know that he's there
and i know he's there [x2]
wake up bradley, wake up
we could think about a little much gusto
wake up bradley, wake up
its all i got now
wake up bradley, wake up
its all i got
wake up wake up bradley [x5]
02 Instigate the Role (02:59)
Strip off the shell
give me the honor
walk into the middle of the road
give me the honor
how does it feel
give me the honor
how does it look down there
rolling <i>[x4]
we've got your instigation
you're subject instigation
we've got your instigation
you're subject instigation
Under the spotlight
appearing under the spotlight
I'll never run under the spotlight
killing under your daylight
i won't under
Walking the line
attribute the honor
cash power one back drop silhouette
attribute the honor
how does it feel to look in the mirror
attribute the honor
through the winds through the wind and then it goes
rolling <i>[x4]
we've got your instigation
you're subject instigation
we've got your instigation
you're subject instigation
under the spotlight
appearing under your spotlight
I'll never run under the daylight
killing under the moonlight
i won't under
We'll instigate
Instigation under the spotlight
We'll instigation appear under
we'll insti- <i>[x3]
we'll instigate
we'll instigate till the opening
we'll instigate your sin
yyeeeaaa!
white power, white backdrop silhouette <i>[x4]
03 Ludvico Drive-In (02:30)
got to get to the head of the crowd
got to get in front of a line
take it like a man [x3]
got to get to the head of the crowd (now)
got to get to the front of the line
take it like a man [x3]
well i know something i won't brag about
painted and useless
laughing immortal
call me soul for sixty four then
cubicle movement
cubicle
a movement
got to get to the head of the crowd
got to get to the front of the line
take it like a man [x3]
get to get to the head of the crowd
got to get to the front of the line
take it like a man [x3]
watch right we're the hordes that lenin failed
gonna take a debt so don't tell me it's over
who is going to make things over
cubicle movement
cubicle
a movement
now trigger pull
we have a crying little people disaster
now trigger
yeah do it
little bit little bit little bit yeah yeah
now trigger
yeah yeah yeah
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