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I half suspect that the "dope box" of the title contains all of the band's effects pedals, since Jack Drag is obviously in love with them. While their first EP Unisex Headwave found the band under the influence of Pavement, this full-length CD demonstrates that Jack Drag has its own sound. The coupling of frothy pop with bitter feedback sometimes recalls the Jesus and Mary Chain cappuccino blend, though never so bitter, but what makes Jack Drag its own band is its distinctive and effective percussion. Without sounding in the least like bogus Latino or funk, drummer Jason Sutter layers conga drums, bongos, and miscellaneous other percussion atop thick, nearly dubby bass and molten guitarage formed into catchy pop-art scuptures. The verse of "Seem So Tired" features congas and a prowling bass, and when the chorus kicks in it's one of those moments of pop triumph. Better yet, listen more closely and you'll notice the way the tambourine rhythm picks up and carries forward that conga part. The band re-record the first EP's "Surfin' the Charles," and comparing the two versions is instructive. The earlier version is a lazy floater buoyed by acoustic strumming - this new version is filled with rubbery distortion and takes a darker, more psychedelic tack. One of the subtler tests of a band is how well it can pull off quieter songs: too many bands lapse into insipidity when plugs are pulled. That Jack Drag can complement its usual wall of fuzz and make the subdued "Where Are We" stand out, with its cellos and chuffling maracas, is testimony to the band's talent and skill. |
