Ah Discordia! Review from Laminated.org

The Transit War
Ah Discordia!
Orange Peal Records
Rating: 5/5
http://www.laminated.org/reviews.php?ID=578
Reviewed by: Jeff

This San Diego-based group has been putting out records since 2002 but theyve managed to fly under my radar. The band isnt an ex-members of hardcore dumpster. In fact, its not even hardcorethis is an exceptional indie rock release from one of my new favorites of the genre. Its only eight songs (actually, seven since one isnt really a song), but this band has left an indelible impression on my ears.

A more fitting title for this record would be Ah Melancholia! Theres not a whole lot of discordance on this record, but theres an underlying sadness in the melodies. Many of the songs move along at a slogging pace with staccato guitar riffs and harmonized single note lines peppering the mix, and the speed never tops mid-tempo territory. The band makes excellent use of clean guitar riffs juxtaposed against comparatively grimey and somewhat unorthodox chords, but the melody stays intact. Im reminded of Something to Write Home About-era Get Up Kids without all the happy sounding shit. However, this isnt a one-dimensional record by any means and the band keeps things interesting.

Just by listening to this recording you can hear how much time the band probably spends together. Each take is tight but without sounding like the result of overdubs or studio trickery: it sounds like genuine musical bonds forged through years of playing together, the kind of stuff that only comes with eating, sleeping, and breathing music. The professional production quality definitely helps get this across, but even without the reverb, the mastering, and the overdubs the listener is left with a solid foundation of dedicated musicians playing music theyve carefully crafted.

In short, I love everything about this record. It retains all the tried and tested conventions of indie stuff that make the genre enjoyable to hear alongside some more risky musical experiments that always pay off, and the execution is impeccable. If indie stays in the limelight for another year, I can see this band blowing up like crazy. Highly recommended.

Jeff

Top 10 Records of 2005:

  1. Pale Horse – Secrets Within Secrets
  2. Death Cab For Cutie – Plans
  3. Ramallah – Kill A Celebrity
  4. Death Before Dishonor – Friends Family Forever
  5. Shattered Realm – From the Dead End Blocks Where Life Means Nothing
  6. The Transit War – Ah Discordia!
  7. Wrench In The Works – Prodigal Transmission
  8. Call It Arson – s/t
  9. Ringworm – Justice Replaced by Revenge
  10. Madball – Legacy