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All the Suits Began to Fall Off EP (2001)
7.5
The Secret to Quiet / There Are Thousands Sleeping in Peace / Marianas
/ Undiscovered Genius of the Mississippi Delta / A Delicate Answer
The
actual beginning of the effort that resulted in manned space flight cannot
be pinpointed although it is known that the thought has been in the mind of
man throughout recorded history. (…) Specific studies and tests conducted
by government and industry culminating in 1958 indicated the feasibility of
manned space flight. Implementation was initiated to establish a national
manned space-flight project, later named Project Mercury, on October 7, 1958.
(…) The objectives of the Mercury Project, as stated at the time of
project go-ahead, were as follows:
1. Place a manned spacecraft in orbital flight around
the earth.
2. Investigate man's performance capabilities and his ability to function
in the environment of space.
3. Recover the man and the spacecraft safely.*
Hailing from Gainesville, Florida, and copping their name from a Nasa-project, The Mercury Program make music that’s usually tied up to the Windy City of Chicago. Whether you call it ‘post-rock’, ‘math-rock’, or just ‘experimental rock’, it’s all up to you, but fact is that these guys – like the giants of the scene Tortoise, The Sea and Cake, Mogwai, etc – aren’t making music for the masses. The 31-minute instrumental EP, All the Suits Began to Fall Off contains a mere five tracks, only one of which stays well under five minutes. On top of that, it’s extremely hard to describe this kind of music, since it’s usually quite abstract and cerebral, stuff that defies conventional analysis. This isn’t about the usual verse-chorus-verse structure, catchy hooks and sing-along melodies. Instead, it’s about interweaving lines, unusual textures, hypnotic grooves, creating a particular atmosphere while using elements from jazz, rock and ambient. Opener “The Secret to Quiet” – actually the loudest track on the EP – dwells pretty close to rock territory, despite the prominent use of vibraphone and electric piano, but from “There Are Thousands Sleeping in Peace” onwards, things get trippier. Laying down a sweaty groove straight from the Lalo Schifrin Songbook, but undercut by an ADHD-drummer and sudden bursts of abrasive guitar textures, the song is a prime example of the band’s fickle nature, because no matter how much they deny they’re not trying to be “intellectual,” the whole package oozes out an air of un-earthy class, while album sleeve credits such as “Alignment of magnetic particles performed by Andy Baker at Chase Park Transduction. Level Adjustments and all other preparations for mass production by Andy Baker and the Mercury Program” are the kind of neo-Byrne excesses that come off as particularly bloated. Luckily, there’s more than enough quality material here to make up for those wise-ass remarks, as “Marianas,” the release’s epicenter, is nothing but outstanding. While the circular guitar patterns of Tom Reno, playful vibes and absentminded keyboard melodies are already fascinating and even beautiful, the track is taken to greater heights by the interlocking rhythm section of Sander Travisiano (bass) and Dave Lebleu (who manages to avoid the obvious comparison to the omnipresent John McEntire). At their peak, the band manages a terrific blend of post-rock, jazz and ambient that’s intricate, but minimalist, and cerebral without becoming self-indulgent. Also the unobtrusive groove of “Undiscovered Genius of the Mississippi Delta” – nothing in common with blues at all – confirms the band can easily take place in between lauded acts such as Karate and June of 44, while the 8+ minutes of album closer (well, only 7 if you subtract the phoned-in message that’s glued to the end) are as fragile as the title suggests. With this EP, the Mercury Program aren’t likely to set your, mine or anybody’s place on fire, but it sure is quite a relief after the fist-pumping ugliness or blunt statements of stupidity of these days that we’re getting accustomed to all too soon.
* Taken from this website.