MULTIPURPOSE TRAP

Dan Britton's first Birds and Buildings release came as a complete surprise to me, so when I finally got my hands on Multipurpose Trap I knew what I was getting in to... and my expectations were pretty darn high. Luckily, Britton and his company of exceptional musicians deliver once again, in an incredibly intense, complex, energetic, (mostly) instrumental, and unabashedly prog experience. Multipurpose Trap is outstanding!

The album kicks off with "The Dumb Fish," a song that is fairly characteristic of the entire album: an immensely dense combination of instrumental virtuosity and inexhaustible precision. Do you think that prog-metal bands like Dream Theater play intricate melodies that are masterfully complex? Trust me, Birds and Buildings makes them seem almost like amateurs. The band is fantastically tight and busy, making one's toes tap and fingers bop and head rock each at a different tempo or rhythm. The effect is exceptionally intense but also very polished and professional. This is high-class prog that will either knock your socks off or make you wonder what the hell is happening... maybe both!!

"Horse-Shaped Cloud" is quirky and dramatic, taking us from a crescendo of bouncy violins, saxophones, and keyboards to a folksy country dance. How weird! How wonderful!

The tongue-in cheek "Miracle Pigeon" uses quirky riffing on the up-beat to tell the story of a superhero pigeon through music (seriously, check out Dan's comments from the band's website).

"East is Fort Orthodox" and "Secret Crevice" are probably the highlight pairing of the album. They give us a change of pace, building a sort of old-west tone that sets a dramatic tension, building and building to another killer track of non-stop instrumental grooves and improvisation that will positively tie you up in knots.

"Tragic Penguin" gives you a moment's reprieve of nuance and slow-tempo charm, which might just be there to prepare you for the total brain scramble that is "Catapult." Again, from the website, Dan says that it's '10 minutes of 20-second ideas.' This is one of those songs that is tailor made for fellow prog-heads, because who else could stand listening to a bombardment of musical ideas that twist, turn, coil, splat, careen, bounce, groove, barf, roar, chortle, and snort at break-neck speed?

Ultimately, this is the name of the game with Multipurpose Trap; it's a prog-head's celebration of the love of classic prog transformed by boundless energy and instrumental virtuosity. 5 big fat crazy freaking stars for Britton and company, and a must listen for fans of the genre. It'll make you stand up and beg for more, and make your friends, family, and neighbors wonder what the hell is wrong with you. Bravo!

Songwriting: 5 - Instrumental Performances: 5 - Lyrics/Vocals: 4 - Style/Emotion/Replay: 5