Dismemberment Emergency!!!!

From 1993 to 2003 Dismemberment Plan ruled in some respects. Travis Morrison and the Plan didn't hold a thing back. On this, their third and penultimate album, they recklessly careened through an all-encompassing sonic landscape and nailed every possible, terrifying angle along the way: "What Do You Want Me to Say" seethes with rabid frustration. The band's album is a firecracker, showing their at once passionate and sly approach to music -- take in everything, put it back out, and give it its own particular sheen and spin -- is in no danger of letting up. Knowing fans of the quartet have spoken on how it's clear that the band members listen to everything from old soul to hip-hop and techno and back again, and there's no argument here based on the evidence of this disc.

The band turn the indie rock stereotype on its head, avoiding aimless shambling jangle or emo's straitjacketing stereotype in favor of an unsettled mix that embraces sampling's jump-cut techniques and shifting rhythms where prominence is equally given to guitar, keyboards, and beat. It can be late-night jazzy mood-out or sudden thrash, but the quartet handles all approaches with aplomb and creative arrangements to boot. Travis Morrison's unusual vocals make a brilliant calling card for the band, high, a touch quavery, but never out of control, slipping into the mix like another instrument.



Each song has a unique character to it and that is what makes the album so great. The lyrics of Travis Morrison too are quirky and odd and most of make you think. He does this so you can try to figure out his brain. His oddness is his strong suit. The music is fresh and wonderfully new to a point of what he does makes it all the odder. His voice is a good fit to the music that he is writing and singing. The words are not poetry, but a kind of conscience thought. The music sound better with every listen. The band groove so well on what he is telling us. It's hard to explain but you should check it out for yourself. The album's lyric book reads better than half the modern volumes on my bookshelf. Modern R&B should have as much rhythm. Modern rock should have as much balls.

I lost my membership card to the human race
So don't forget the face
Because I know that I do belong here
Go down the checklist let's see:
Feelings are good
Dishonesty is bad
And keeping it inside is worse still
You want a problem well I guess we got one now
I really don't know how
There's injuns over every goddamn hill
What do you want me to say?
What do you want me to do?
To let you know that I do mean it
What do you want me to say?
What do you want me to do?
To let you know that I do mean it
What do you want me to say, yeah?
I see it coming from a million miles away
What else can I say?
The only way you know I love you
And there's no eye-to-eye just Moses on the mount



The music is fun the words are for not us to figure out, they are just a stream of great ideas of Travis Morrison. Check out Emergency and I and I am sure you will find something to like. It can be late-night jazzy mood-out or sudden thrash, but the quartet handles all approaches with aplomb and creative arrangements to boot. Drummer Joe Easley may be the band's secret weapon, able to keep the pace and swing just enough, though bassist Eric Axelson is by no means a slouch himself -- the dub-touched "Spider in the Snow" is a great showcase for both. The fact that "You Are Invited" is conceivably the world's greatest synth-pop/electro/guitar chime/post-punk song about trying to get to the right party -- and is emotional without being overwrought -- gives a sense as to this album's considerable strengths.(AM) On that note, Enjoy!!