Hole in the Ground

AMG Review of Hole in the Ground

Jack Rabid
All Music Guide

The second 7" by this Boston trio is as unnerving as their live show at Middle East in Boston. Mixing typical indie /p>

oise with a whomping post-punk rhythm section (a Boston tradition that goes back to Mission of Burma), they break out of the feedback into a short, clipped, powerful little rocker, made all the more taut by guitarist Mary Timony's one-third sung, one-third talked, one-third falsetto hummed vocals. That the rhythm section of Brian Dunton (bass) and Shawn Devlin (drums) are refugees from the late Dumptruck helps explain the classic feel of this smart single despite the experimental jerkiness of its leader. The more pleasant B-side, "Lucy," reminds heavily of Salem 66, what with its discordant bass, minimal guitar, and Timony's almost folky vocals, though it too breaks out heavier in places. From the live set, there's plenty more where this came from.