new Battles

Along with the new Explosions In The Sky album, I've also picked up the new Battles album, "mirrored," which is not what I expected...in a positive sense. I have somewhere around here a copy of "EP C"; I like it and listen to it as often as anything else, I suppose. But "mirrored" is a whole other deal. First, there are voices, words, heavily processed, to be sure, but almost intelligible. Secondly - and maybe this is true of "EP C" too (only I can't unfortunately really pull that release up in my memory's ear) - the songs seem extra long to me. Anyway, the album's great. I'm sure people who like "math rock," or whatever it's being called these days, will enjoy it. Trala. For me, though, so far, it's all about the second song: "atlas." "Atlas" almost, almost, well, - it almost swings, and where it falls short of out and out swinging, it's such a monster of toe tapping and head shaking: I don't know what. Mmm. It's a little like the oompa loompas shot a bunch of meth instead of whatever sugar/lsd they're into usually. And I like it a lot. I hope their show on Thursday doesn't sell out, as I don't intend to buy tix in advance. Last time they were in town (at Middle East Upstairs), their show was really fun. Battles, that is; not the oompa loompas.