Trans Am walks the same line between substance and style that its namesake car model did in its heyday. Often considered the leading light of the ’90s post-rock scene, the Maryland-based trio switches between big, loud rawk riffing and spacey, experimental ambience, sometimes within the same song. Trans Am gleans imagery and sounds from the synth- and vocoder-heavy music of decades past, but also informs its songs with a detached, millennial indie attitude. The group shifts gears from album to album, and this intellectual restlessness continues with the atmospheric, trippy Thing (Thrill Jockey). The LP should appeal both to new-school stoner-metal fans and the hippie oldheads at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where Trans Am will be playing a free show on August 18. Nathan Means will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with the band.
Means: When the red-hot slab of metal and rock slammed deep into an unsuspecting Earth, mountains of dirt and steam shot up, blanketing the planet. It was nighttime for the land animals: Good night forever! However, the sluggish crocodiles rolled over indifferently in their protected swamps. Who needed the land anyway? They thought the stifling, ever-present steam was very pleasant, and they could sleep for quite a while—centuries if necessary. Sure, things looked rough on land, but they were going to be just fine.
Video after the jump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWtzHkwX-cI
