ID M THEFTABLE / CRANK STURGEON c46 (Basement Tapes)

A slap on the knuckles for me! It wasn't until I read the liner notes AFTER listening that i realized this was a split tape and not a collab. It's really not a gigantic deal and sort of explains what my main statement was going to be.

Id M and Crank are the two main dudes (at least to my knowledge) disrupting the Portland, ME music scene. At any given show you're likely to see them spray reconstituted milk on you while almost nude or play a ruler while conducting the audience to squeal out fake animal names.

This tape listens a lot more like "alone time" jams. No audience to interact with or distract the process (not that it is a bad thing when they do.) In fact, absent from both sides of this release is any prolonged exploration of voice trauma, usually a key component of their live sets. Instead a relatively fast paced carousel of tape cuts, toy instruments eeking out their last beep and sundry cheap tape decks being tossed about by the musicians in a manic attempt to freak themselves out while alone.

A nice addition to their catalog of releases and it's worth checking out to hear these guys step back from their focus on vocals, which it bears repeating, is nothing something i have a problem with at all!

Both awesome live acts, check em out if you ever get the chance.

Printed in an edition of 100, full color nice photo collage covers.
Still available from the label:
www.myspace.com/boilerroomemissions