Saturday, September 27, 2008

Thomas Function - Celebration

Thomas Function
Celebration
(04.2008, Alive Records)
File Under = Weird voice and weird songs, AKA indie rock

I just wanted to preface my brief remarks here with two statements: First, Thomas Function is a band name rather than an individual, kinda like Lynyrd Skynyrd. Second, despite containing one of the most distinctly grating voices to be recorded and released in 2008, Celebration is pretty dang awesome. Those two points may not have been particularly essential to this review, but I had been confused initially about the first and mislead by the second when I started listening to Thomas Function. Gleaning multiple genre elements into one hotpot full of vigorous indie rock, Celebration is energetic, twangy and, well, bitchin’! Thomas Function use standard rock equipment: bass, drums, guitars and, uh, gospel organ Casios, but the band is anything but standard. Part of that has to do with lead vocals that sound like they have stretched out and sun baked to into a screechy reddened madness yet still manages to somehow be catchy. The vocals are definitely the most unique instrument here, but even they have their comparisons (at points on “Conspiracy of Praise” he sounds distinctly like Danielson). So it’s just ‘indie rock’ right? Not quite. Celebration is special and I’m not talking short bus special - actually, I kind of am. There is something that is simultaneously awesome and retarded about Thomas Function that makes it more than your average indie rock… much more. It’s ADHD Midwestern indie rock on acid and quite a refreshing trip in comparison to standard bands of its ilk.

-Mr. Thistle

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

1. I wish kids in Utah would rock out at show's like the goofballs in that video.

2. This albums pretty darn good.

3. You said a bad word in your review.