k i l l e r POP

As sure as Florida is the dick of America, Florida and much of the South’s local music scenes are wrought with hardcore and screamo bands. And while Orlando has its share of both, what makes up for that fact as well as the city’s lack of artistic unity and sense of community is the diversity in musical acts; from Hip hop, to indie pop, to country-rock, to electronica.

One could get a good feel for the complete sound of Orlando simply by picking up (and listening to) the band of the name’s latest and final album Please Step Off the Miracle and Turn to Your Left. From the opening track, “Universing the Cosmost,” the band of the name’s quirky instrumental work elicits soundscapes that Television and Felt must have dreamed of late at night. Just over 6 minutes long, “Universing the Cosmost” fits the title bestowed upon it and sets up the entire feel of the album as a whole.

“You Can Redo Anything If You Put Your Mind to It” winds through a driving power-pop instrumental with the ferocity of punk lurking just below the surface. Almost halfway through the song, the drums begin to stutter as the pop sensibility begins to fall victim to fits of contained chaos, followed by an explosion of music mirroring free-jamming. The musicians then tame the beast as the song chasses to a close.

The final track, “F Marks the Spot,” continues building upon the lush musical foray presented in the previous two tracks until just over 3 minutes in when the melody and all the instruments drop out except a guitar riff and a piano line. The drums begin creeping in off the beat leading the whole melody back in, completely consuming the interlude. This is abruptly followed by a manic salsa-esque sequence before a set of fresh melodies take over, including a feedback led intense burst of guitar riffs. All of these changes bring the song out of the album’s deep space mantra and into a dream-like band jam. And that’s only halfway through the track, which ends just 11 seconds shy of 12 minutes (11:49 for those who don’t wanna waste any time). The surprises and remarkable musicianship continue throughout the rest of the song, but you’ll have to listen for yourself to find out the remainder of the twists and turns. But rest assured, “F Marks the Spot” is well worth the listen. Daunting as the length may be, it is entirely free of the pretension of Yes or Led Zeppelin, and captivating from start to finish.

What the band of the name do in Please Step Off the Miracle and Turn to Your Left is build upon their 2004 release Saggin’ The Bargains while still paving a new way for indie, pop, rock, and experimental music. The four lads are more polished, more powerful, and tighter than ever. They’ve also signed to Post* Records, played countless shows, and gained allegiance from most of Orlando’s underground collectives since then; not to mention they’ve broken up. Who knows how far they could have gone and what they could have accomplished if they persevered, but the members continue working as solo artists and with their various other outfits such as Total Pony Proposal and The Ocean Floor. And if end they must, “Please Step Off the Miracle and Turn to Your Left” is one hell of a way to do it. Trust me, I do this for a living (I just don’t get paid).

review by Matt Harrison