MASERATI

After a slowly unfolding Tangerine Dream-like dreamy electronic build, ten minute instrumental space-rock opener `No Cave' kicks to up-tempo life with a relentless bashing beat, thick grumbling bass and shimmering electric guitar ripples that race for the heavens. `Living Cell' bounces with a smouldering dark electro-pop sheen, and there's just a hint of an Eighties goth tone to bassist Chris McNeal's drawled vocal, while first side closer `Montes Jura' clangs with tense pulsing sequencer trickles behind rising and falling synth caresses and no shortage of Eighties-flecked electric guitar slow-burn.

The flip side's `End of Man' is a skittering and frantic electro-popper powered by fuzzy electronic bursts over an incessant beat and Matt Cherry's monotone Kraftwerk-like vocoder-treated vocal, the piece growing more breathless and urgent as it progresses. The final two-part instrumental title track `Rehumanizer' is exceptionally groovy and energetic with constantly stuttering growling bass spasms and fuzzy distortion, and the big unceasing drumbeats and spacey ringing electric guitar chimes instantly remind of A Flock of Seagull's `Space Age Love Song/I Ran' and maybe even British prog-pop group Mansun!

Admittedly some of the instrumental tracks sound a little similar to eachother in a few spots, and there's perhaps also not a ton of depth to the pieces, but the album sounds so completely infectious and constantly energised that it's hard not to be get caught up in simply enjoying it. If you're curious about what a band that's a mix of the above mentioned artists might sound like, absolutely take the time to investigate `Rehumanizer'. Besides - sleek guitars, pulsing electronics and cool beats with a big retro sound (and not of the era you'd expect!) - what's not to love about this one?!

Four stars...and bonus points for one of the greatest LP sleeves in years!

There are two similar titled songs: the 4 minute "Kalimera" and the 2 minute "Kalinihta"; these are just guitar soundscapes but the former is more melodic and interesting. Another short track is "This Is A Sight We Had One Day From The High Mountain" which of course has the longest tile on the album. This track sounds very electronic and reminds me of some industrial music. "Inventions" is the longest track and it takes a while to get to where its going. But it's worth it. Fast picked guitars rise out of a staticy beginning. Another distorted guitar plays random chords here and there. Yet another guitar joins the fast picked guitar repeating a few notes; the music is becoming very hypnotic at this point.

The guitar playing gets more melodic as first the hi-hat and then the rest of the drumkit joins in. Eventually the band goes into a nice groove based on a 6 note bassline. Some of the guitars get more spacey and atmospheric at times while another guitar almost solos. Pretty much stays that way until the end. Great track. "12/16" opens with guitar-generated but keyboard-like soundscapes. Then it goes into a typical rhythm section oriented style of post-rock. Later sounds more post-punk/New Wave during the 'chorus' section (there is no choruses in instrumental music, but you get the idea). Ends on more of a 'alternative' rock kind of vibe.

I'm not sure if there is three previous installments of "Synchronicity IV" or not. This begins with a very indie/alternative style of guitar playing. The rhythm section is pretty simple and straight-forward at this point. Then it switches to some kind of Radiohead-meets-post-rock vibe. The music gets more intense as the musicians get louder and looser. Eventually the band calms down a bit and you hear some fast bongo playing. Nice touch. "Show Me The Season" is another longer track and is centered around a busy bassline. Between the fast bass playing and the hard drumming, this track apears to be more heavy than it is. The guitars are generally played in a more typical post-rock manner. The repetition and intense rhythm section makes this track grab your attention and won't let go. Whew!

"The World Outside" starts off in post-punk territory, gradually getting more atmospheric as it goes along. The drumming here really stands out. The other songs I have heard from them sound similar to the songs on this album...just not as good. They may or may not be a one trick pony, but Inventions For The New Season is a pony ride you won't forget. I'll give this 3.5 and round it up to 4 stars.

"Who Can Find The Beast ?" has this electronic beat to open then atmosphere floods in around a minute. "Pyramid Of The Sun" has a catchy beat as it becomes fuller and the guitar eventually joins in too. Nice. "We Got the System To Fight The System" opens with guitar but it builds quickly to an uptempo melody. "They'll No More Suffer From Thirst" is again catchy and we get that repetitive beat. The guitar comes and goes.

"Ruins" has a heavy beat with electronics. It starts to slow down 2 1/2 minutes in to the end. "They'll No More Suffer From Hunger" is an uptempo barn-burner. The guitar is ripping it up 4 minutes in. It settles back over the final minute and blends into "Oaxaca". It starts to pick up before a minute. Catchy stuff. "Bye M'friend, Goodbye" has this electronic beat then the guitar comes in after a minute. It's building after 2 minutes then it kicks in to an uptempo soundscape.

3.5 stars for me. I do like this a lot but the music I have of this style like the OZRICS, KORAI OROM, COLORSTAR etc just do it a little better.

If that sounds totally bananas and much like a mix gone horribly wrong like tuna and coffee - then just hold on a minute... Maserati has been playing a somewhat psychedelic form of instrumental post-rock on their first two outings, and as much as I like them, I´ve always felt there was something missing to the equation. Enter Steve Moore from progressive electronic band Zombi, - and suddenly this mother load of swaying guitars and never-ending crescendos (that usually sticks to the genre like flies on candy) - seems ready for flight.

Steve Moore relies mostly on vintage sounds, but he has a sneaky way of updating them - covering them up in a way, so that, which easily could be something retro and all too familiar, turns into a very modern take on the Berliner school of electronics. Combined with the Maserati sound of crunching rocking textures this album sounds unlike anything I´ve heard from the scene before.

The first song starts out with an electronic aural like feel to it and then quickly forms into the most U2 like track on the album. The tapping melodic guitar, although slightly more distorted than what you would normally associate with the Edge, - in addition the bass trots along very much like Clayton does and even the drums starts out with the signature Mullen beat. Then why does this music sound nothing like U2 you might ask? To tell you the truth, I have no idea - but this sure is a tasty combo.

My absolute favorite track on this is Oaxaca, which just by its name sends my upstairs compartment flying off to Mexico and the Incas. It has a Heldon vibe to it - the album Stand By to be more exact. This was Heldons most accessible work, and the synths here on Oaxaca reflect very much that particular way of knitting themselves in between the beats - thereby creating a beat and underlying current of a nearly reachable melody. Again - combined with the rest of the band, things really starts to get exciting and bubbly.

This album, whilst still retaining its post-rock past, manages to be very relaxing in most places. There is virtually no emphasis on solos whatsoever, but all the more focus on dynamics and creating a sonic venture that is apart from most other artists featured in these parts of the woods.

Although post-rock is a relatively new genre I can still hear a lot of rock music history in Maserati's music. Eno seems to be a big influence, as well as some people Eno worked with, especially Phil Manzenera and David Byrne. Some Maserati song sections are a dead ringer for late 70s Talking Heads with their interlocking minamalistic guitar riffs that become more hypnotic as they are fed through echo effects. Also there are some similarities to Steve Hillage's guitar driven techno rock in System 7, and Bill Laswell and Nicky Skopeletis' rock/world beat recordings in the late 80s and 90s. The Laswell similarity is due to Maserati's deep dub like bass sound which helps give the band more sonic power. In fact the deep bass and minamalist guitars also recall early PIL, but with way better production and no 'rotten' vocals.

Poised to be more than just post-rock, Maserati stands above the crowd and delivers very moving and emotional songs with the power of a heavy rock band and the deep sound of a psychedelic dub mix.

Maserati is one of my first post-rock discoveries of this year (if not my first). They aren't bringing anything new to the table with this release, but they do take a different approach in making their music. With the addition of Jerry Fuchs (member of !!! and Turing Machine) on drums the band took a more rhythmic formula on this album instead of the casual soft / loud dynamics and this is where Maserati shines.

The band's can be seen as somewhat minimalist in nature and that has to be thanks to Jerry Fuch's drumming. He reminds me alot to Can's drummer, Jaki Liebezeit, but in modern times. I like to think that he's the leading force in the band's music and it feels that way in songs like "Inventions" and "Show Me The Season". It's also nice to see post-rock bands using the drummer in equal value as the other instruments and it does make Maserati's sound rockier than your average guitar-dominated post-rock band. Maserati's sound is also in the borders of the space rock genre thanks to the echo effects of the guitars and the One-Of-These-Days bass lines. The minimalist aspect of their music also reminds me to that of Neu!, but slightly faster. The guitarists, Coley and Matt, are great at their punchy-yet-emotional guitar playing.

Personally I feel that the band has much more to offer. I often feel that they didn't tried hard enough in some of the songs on the album. The drumming is the best part of the album and it's the main thing that keeps me coming for more. The best songs on the album are easily "Show Me The Season" and "Inventions" with their rocky feel. I would've liked to see more of those type of songs in the album instead of songs like "Kalimera" or "Kalinihta" which sound more like leftovers (as sad is it may sound).

The band has potential, but they need a bit more focus. Great band to rock to, though.

On this album, Maserati take your Explosions In The Sky brand of post-rock, darken it, and throw in a spacey psych sound that really gives them a rather unique voice. The album really has a great purposive, almost dance-like feel to it. This mostly occurs due to the album's strong throbbing bass presence. I often feel the bass is overlooked in many post-rock bands, and its great to hear it with a standout role in the genre.

Many complain that post-rock often sounds too samey. I think Maserati deal appropriately with that problem as I never get that feeling while listening, even if the band does pretty much stick with its formula throughout the album. I really enjoy this album and it's one of the finest I've heard from the year. There's nothing revolutionary here or incredibly different I suppose, but it's certainly enjoyable from beginning to end.