...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead- Madonna  (Merge) More explosive than a bundle of fireworks, and capable of leaving an equally impressive disarray of debris in their wake. This music is pure energy, pounding into your skull with the force of a jackhammer. Upon hearing Madonna, jaws will drop, minds will be blown. How can something so familiar sound so revolutionary? Spoken monotone vocals that snap into top-of-the-lungs shouting at the drop of a pin. Drumming powerful enough to induce whiplash. Noisy, Sonic Youth-inspired guitar storms. Alternately lulling and hard-hitting. Orchestrated chaos, breathtaking to behold, boiling down the most manic elements of Fugazi, Unwound, and Sonic Youth, with scattered moments where the band keeps it low-key and calm to allow the listener the opportunity to take a deep breath before the cacophony kicks in again. The abrasive and hyper-paced “A Perfect Teenhood” bulldozes everything in its path, while “Mark David Chapman” showcases a jittery throb of melodic noise, and “Mistakes And Regrets” whips into a flurry of infectious, guitar-fueled madness. Madonna covers nearly every inch of territory of the “challenging indie rock” map. Absolutely fucking impressive.  (erika) [back]