Not, somewhat disappointingly, an act inspired by the influential 4th century Roman emperor, Ontario’s CONSTANTINES are a greatly promising act on the once globally dominant Sub Pop label.
After a little heard but greatly lauded debut, this second long player should offer a more widely accessed introduction to the band’s ragged talents, described not inaccurately as ‘a Joe Strummer fronted Fugazi’, a phrase which certainly summarises the band’s mixture of ragged passion and insistent, imaginative rhythms..
The rampant opening of "National Hum" recalls the hoarse, dislocated glories of ‘80s noise-mongers like Jesus Lizard, while the title track wends a more melodic (though not necessarily more straightforward) path, hinting at a Slint-like suppression of guitar violence, even lobbing some hand-claps percussing away laconically in the background.
Despite the slacker vibe (some eccentrically abstract time changes smack more of a looser, Neil Young-ish approach to time keeping than anything more avant garde), there’s a plethora of ideas bursting out.
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"Tank Commander" eventually rocks out after tense, Can-ish beginnings, while "Young Lions" even hits a summery Yo La Tengo vibe. "Goodbye Baby And Amen" sprawls out like a cat in a heatwave, propelled gently along by an enervated shuffle beat and moody horns, and "On To You" bounces along like Springsteen covering Wake Up Boo.
It’s a more cohesive affair than this review probably makes it sound, and, let’s face it, any record that conjures comparisons with Jesus Lizard, Can, and Fugazi has to be worth investigating.
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