LLTTTD adopted its supremely awkward name from the title of a Silver Jews song. If one squints sideways and rationalizes things enough, the song could almost be considered a blueprint for this Milwaukee band: disjointed guitars, motorik drums, and absurdist, world-weary vocals. But the similarities stop there as soon as LLTTTD cranks up the tempo, dissonance, and fuzz, injecting elements of hardcore, art-noise, and, yes, pop.
The spectre of late 80s indie rock hovers ominously over this record. The heyday of Homestead Records established the category of abrasive and quirky pop records that just weren't pop enough. Ghost Of Dead Bros is manic and frenetic in that same way but is prevented from going off the rails due only to the restraint of drummer Dan Hanke. While that restraint initially appears to be a detriment — a millstone around the neck of the band's exuberance — it turns out to be the thing that anchors and artfully directs these songs.
The seductive hooks embedded in the weirdo herky-jerkiness are the selling points here and when they work, on songs like "Collaborative Mess" and "Fight Fauna with Fauna", they kill. When the songwriting forces itself into uncomfortable and ungainly gymnastics, not so much... Thankfully, those points are few and far between and judging by the last few live performances I've witnessed, they've honed their skewed skills into something terribly ferocious that have left me anxiously awaiting their next move.
- This post originally appeared on ToEleven.