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Dec 17, 2010 Web Exclusive By Jim Scott

In another era, when record companies and studios ruled, a muzzled Bradford Cox would be a much different animal. Of course, talent wins out, but Cox’s appeal is his lack of adornment. The Internet is his greatest enabler. His latest salvo is Bedroom Databank, a series of recordings made in bedrooms and hotels earlier this year. Rather than laboring over these sketches until they come to their full fruition, Cox fires them off into the world as is. The result is a fascinating look into his creative process, but not always an enjoyable listening experience.

Some songs, like the single-minded, bluesy “Cynics Recourse” sound like Cox working out some thoughts and noodling around on the guitar a bit, replete with throat clears. The song immediately following, however, “Freak Train (Kurt Vile)” feels more fully fleshed out, with a jumpy rhythm percussion section and vacillating electronic tones that occasionally latch onto a video game feel and then a lovely melody, but only in snippets. It’s a fast-shifting song, one without lyrics, but it’s thrilling nonetheless.

For those who hang on Cox’s every word, there will be some disappointment with this first volume, as very few of the songs have lyrics, and even fewer have intelligible lyrics. They’re sketches, clearly, and in that sense, it’s amazing to hear these songs at various points along the spectrum of completion. It’s hard, however, to envision listening to them again and again. (www.deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com)

Author rating: 5/10