Replicator are a neat dynamic rock trio from the San Francisco Bay Area who get compared to Shellac a lot. This seems to be mostly because Shellac bassist Bob Weston records them and because they are quite vocal on the Shellac email list, which is how I happened to hear about them. To me a much better comparison would be Poster Children, but imagine how they might have ended up had they introduced the loops and synths of Salaryman into their exuberant rockpop shapes instead of separating into two different projects involving the same people.Feedback Loop Industries
But enough of comparisons, Replicator have their own thing and they've built on and transcended the solid foundation of their debut album Winterval with a quartet of addictive angular rockin' bursts of hopeful angst. The EP opens with Validation Complex, a tongue in cheek spoken self help therapy session for hardcore kids, with singer / guitarist Conan Neutron reciting multi-tracked paens to the powerful foundations of confidence, before erupting into choppy oriental chord trashing. The weakest aspect of their debut was probably the vocals, and on this track they cleverly turn that into a strength with double tracked tricks. "It's a blast of utter frustration," so begins the stormin' Bawkbakawk Bawkbagone and as the day wore on the situation deteriorated but in the interests of self preservation it wasn't something they concerned themselves with, even if it had rendered their song titles nigh on incomprehensible to mere psueud mag eds. Despite such frivolity, Replicator do stop on a dime to squawk like an unruly hen or three. Their use of programmed loops has become more intrinsically organic to the songwriting process than on Winterval, and marks them high in moderninity. They never forget that their job is to rock yer ass, but like many of the best bands they realise this does not have to be a brainless shake. This EP was recorded over a year ago, and apparently the tracks have evolved somewhat and some might be reworked for the album that Replicator are currently recording. Check the label site for links to songs. It would be wonderful if they could get over to the UK for some gigs. Perhaps Bob Weston might consider them for the line up of next year's All Tomorrow's Parties? I find it amazing that a band this good has to be self releasing a CD-R. What's the matter with record labels these days?
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