Ed Wood Jr - Silence

No, it’s not that Ed Wood Jr. Rather than the movie director of dubious ability, this is the product of two young rockers from Lille with more than a passing interest in electronics (and B-Movies, presumably). Formed in 2008, the pair have so far released one EP and one full-length album. After an extensive tour of Europe, they band recorded their second album, 'Silence', in 2011. The album’s opening track, 'Maila Nurmi', layers electronic textures and melodic guitar phrases over an incessant and infectious drum pattern. The beat is hypnotic, and as an opener, the track engages the listener, leaving them ready for the remainder of the album. The track is named for erstwhile Ed Wood collaborator and “star” of Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space, Vampira (Maila Nurmi was her real name). Third track, 'Babtrip', takes cranks up the overdrive and introduces a heavier drumbeat than the previous two tracks. Towards the end of the track, a barely discernable vocal is introduced. It seems that the lyric is deliberately obfuscated behind pounding percussion and angular electric guitars. Many of the tracks on the album reminded me of Slint’s 'Spiderland', none more so than 'Theme O' (I don’t think it’s any surprise that the spoken lyric makes continual spider references). Indeed, to me it seems that the sense of isolation and alienation so powerfully expressed on 'Spiderland' is taken up and expanded upon on this LP. I particularly enjoyed 'Interlude', a brief moment of drone-style brown noise which separates the album at the midway point. Sure, it’s a track where nothing much happens, but I like it for that reason – it provides a comfortable breakwater between what would, in the good old days, have been sides one and two. The theme of powerful sonic grind behind overwhelmed vocals continues after the halfway point with 'Walkwoman' – another track where, despite their electronic sensibilities, the band’s desire to rock comes to the fore. The album’s success lies in its inventive guitar riffs and some terrific percussion. At the heart of each track is a rock beat over which the band carefully and judiciously layer electronic treatments. The electronic aspects of the production never get in the way of the electric guitar and drum backing and thus never overwhelm the melody of the piece. Unlike the real Ed Wood Jr, his musical namesakes’ output will be appreciated by more than connoisseurs of kitsch. Their sound may not be entirely new, but their music is sufficiently different and well-executed to make the listener come back for more.