Though they originally hail from Washington, DC, Measles, Mumps, Rubella’s sound is not the stereotypical slashing punk sound popularized by bands like Fugazi and Jawbox immediately associated with the city. MMR are, however, clearly the kind of band that’s listened to Public Image Ltd very carefully.Doubling Cube
On the band’s first single “Zusammen Mit Motown/ Lighter’s Out,” the group sketched out a sound that was a pencil rubbing of spacey dynamics and squawking post punk guitar. On their debut album, the band provides a continuation for their intense, spacey sound. Robert Austin’s spacey, dub inspired bass lines bring to mind the rhythmic foundations laid by PiL bassist Jah Wobble twenty years ago and vocalist Chuck Bettis’ bears more than a passing resemblance to John Lydon’s nasal whine. It’s a sound that the band has cultivated since releasing their first single back in 2001 and, thanks to the increased fidelity and years of touring under their belt, comes into its own here.
Opener “Algorithm of Desire” grooves on an unrelenting bass line and a simple and effective guitar figure, until the band kicks up the tempo and drives the song on home. What makes the songs here more than just dance-punk posturing is that the band is just as interested in the texture of the song as they are in getting people to dance. “Fantastic Success” is another great song that begins with gently plucked bass and softly chiming guitar before opening up into a spaced-out jam. While MMR have crafted a set of songs that work well as a cohesive whole, one problem that can be raised is whether or not these songs can work on their on. When played back to back, these songs groove and writhe.
Despite this, their impact is somewhat lessened when they pop up in shuffle and I sometimes find myself reaching for the skip button. The weakest song here, “Mysthstery of Zygo,” sounds like a limp Throbbing Gristle and doesn’t seem to add much as a whole. On the opposite end of the spectrum, “Apples or Echoes” writhes with otherworldly menace.
Minus a few complaints, MMR have released an album that shows great potential. Their sound seems to stand apart, ever so slightly, from the rigid and often static dance-punk hordes. By emphasizing texture and atmosphere over herky jerky rhythms and slashing guitar work, Fantastic Success proves to be an album that can be revisited over and over again.
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