Primal Scream is a example of one of those experimental bands that some people will love for their futuristic rock and roll sound, or hate because they’re way out there. For them to survive the Britpop wave and the current electronic/dance explosion, their sixth studio album is a brilliantly twisted combination of these two styles. It’s bands like Primal Scream and Sonic Youth that make my job hard in describing what this band actually sounds like. Simply put, XTRMNTR is electronic garage rock with a few surprises.
Before I listened to the cd, I looked in the liner notes to see what tricks the band had up their sleeves for this record. Upon reading the track list in the manner Primal Scream arranged it, the order could very well be interpreted as an evil manifesto to take over the world. The track that kicks off the new record is entitled “Kill All Hippies”. The little boy in the background sound like he’s transmitting a radio broadcast informing his followers to “destroy/kill all hippies/anarchy,” then slowly a dirty bass line is erected and whirling sound turns the track into an eerie bit. Track two reads “Accelerator”. Primal Scream drops their old rock sound for more of a raw garage rock tune that’s comparable to the artistic statement of Sonic Youth and the aggression of Nirvana. The momentum on the record hits high gear when the chemical beats of “Swastika Eyes” jumps into the mix. You’ll find two versions of “Swastika Eyes” on XTRMNTR. Jagz Kooner remixed the fourth track and dance lords The Chemical Brothers bring their own flavor to the remixing in track ten. I thought The Chemical Brothers remix would be sick because the song has their vibe written all over it, but Kooner’s mix is far better. The tranquil “Keep Your Dreams” and seven-minute trip of “Blood Money” showcases how brilliant the diversity here can be, if you can handle it.
The band is bitten by the electronic bug, which hampers the production at the end of the record as songs start to diminish in quality. Like many others acts that incorporate loads of instrumentation into their recording, they sometimes don’t know to say when. If you’re looking for diversity in your collection and like trying new music, check this out, but definitely file XTRMNTR under experimental rock.
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