Odd and Not-So-Obvious

By Gabriel

These came to mind at the last minute.

If you enjoyed the sounds of Hot Snakes and Drive Like Jehu as referenced in last week's post, give Obits a run. After the split of Hot Snakes, Rick Froberg went on to form Obits. The driving guitars and punk beats are left behind for a more rockabilly sound with an under-produced feel. This album–which Sub Pop apparently presumed would be big–has grown on me. It's a different styling for Froberg and at times, almost as cartoonish as his illustration work. If you think that the split of the Snakes was tragic as I do, you'll take whatever you can get from Froberg and Reis.

One Day As A Lion is, I suppose, the result of all that work Zack de la Rocha has been talking about since the split of Rage Against the Machine. Regardless, I prefer the abrasive lyrical flow of Zack over Tom Morello's failed ego projects to save rock 'n roll as we know it. Morello was such an appendage like in so many singer-guitarist pairings and that's difficult to get past. Besides, all of the sampling that One Day uses sounds like his guitar work anyway. I can say that it feels a bit overthought at times but it's an interesting look at a vocalist in a more conceptual mode. The EP is worth the price, but I wouldn't continue holding out for albums from Rocha.