OXXXES

One of the best Math rock groups in the United States, Oxes are the Baltimore guitar/drums/guitar combo of Natalio Fowler, Chris Freeland and Marc Miller. Finding a gnarly but musical mix of heavy metal riffing, obsessive drone-core and the decaying garbage smells of punk rock, the trio crash the party with mosh pit come-ons and slamdance provocations. And though they tend to spit in your general direction, these oxen have guts and play some bitchin, complex rock music. Killer roughage hums on 'Boss Kitty' and starts to get slightly woozy, this band's trademark "we may sound drunk but we'll play you under the table" attitude perfect in this opening cut. 'Half, Half and Half' gets weird and pokes fun at their arithmetic pedigree revealing a deeper sound palette, some kickin' old-fashioned club thrash for 'Kaz Hayashi', and a Don Cab-style calculus proof in 'Chyna, Chyna, Chyna'. The great progcore 'Tony Baines' is a highlight with many rises, shifts and falls, finishing with eleven minute 'Russia is Here'.

If Robert Fripp had been younger, angrier and crazier when King Crimson recorded 'Red' we might have gotten something close to this, and if you have doubts about this upstart form of rock and even less faith that these bands are progressive, you might want to take a listen.