Intricate and proficient, this EP of post-rock tom-foolery is a real treat. One of those rare moments that an avid – albeit slightly cynical – music fan experiences when they have no preconceptions about a band or an artist and the music delivers instantly and only gets better on repeated playing. Comma is a quartet, harnessing the power of two drummers, one bass player and one guitarist. There’s not a vocal within earshot and as such the guitar is pushed front and centre to provide the melodic prowess. Suspicious of any band with two drummers, assuming one must be there to literally fill out all the others mistakes right?
It turns out that the double-tracked kits are warranted not least on clinical opener, ‘You Can’t Go Easy When You’re Making Trees’ which has delightful rhythmic skits and splices throughout. As can often happen with technically proficient instrumentalists you get the impression that the joy of listening to these number crunching ditties doesn’t quite equate to the joy of performing them.
Comma are guilty of meandering slightly on ‘The Thunder That You Are’ and short interlude ‘Flow My Tears’, not that these are terrible by any stretch of the imagination they just lack enough substance and hooks to keep this listener engaged. However a trio of absolute rippers follow and seal the deal for my adulation. ‘Parking In The Disabled Spot’, ‘Engine Failure’ and ‘Between The Sunset And The Sea’ are a blend of weaving melodies and instrumental excellence, falling on the right side of math rock, where the clever time signatures and rhythmic jiggery-pokery is matched by melodic guitar lines.
Essentially you can count and whistle at the same time, it’s like Sesame Street. Indebted to the sounds of American alternative scenes of the 1990s, think Don Caballero or Tortoise and you’re in the right zone, Comma are an exciting proposition and have made an accomplished and stirring debut.
www.myspace.com/commanoise