Gregor Samsa do not easily fit in with most of the other bands contained within these pages. The Amercian outfit are best described as low-fi indie, and have much in common with the likes of Sigur Ros and Mogwai. ‘27:36′, their three song full length, may be short on tracks, but it certainly is big on atmosphere and musical talent.
So, Gregor Samsa do have obvious contempories outside of the boundries of punk, but they also manage to have a clearly defined identity of their own. Whereas many releases of this type seem to have the songs melding into each other, ‘27:36′ has three distinct songs on offer. Clocking in at just under half an hour, as the title helpfully points out, the time is there for the band to really show what they can do on each track.
The first song doesn’t kick and scream into existence, it builds slowly, from almost nothingness. What Gregor Samsa really excel at is knowing exactly what to put into a song, and exactly what to leave out. The three tracks feature both male and female vocals, and both these styles add something different to the hushed atmospherics. All three use the formula of beginning with nothing and building to a crescendo, yet none of them sound similar, utilising different methods to take the listener on a musical journey. We are treated to electronics, distorted guitars, pianos and all sorts of other tricks during this song-building process, and all the time what you are hooked by is the atmosphere this band manage to create on your humble stereo.
Having never heard anything by Gregor Samsa before this release came as a very welcome surprise. It may not appeal to a broad spectrum of the public, but there is no doubting the band have created something quite special here. Gregor Samsa deserve to be mentioned in the same illustrious company as Sigur Ros and Mogwai. This release really is something for music lovers to lose themselves in.
Mark