Hashin' It Out

Most of Euphone's acclaim stems from drummer/mastermind Ryan Rapsys' ability to manipulate a drum set in a more impressive manner than people are often used to hearing. Rapsys' style centers on flawless techniques, and he routinely performs stunning fills that are difficult for the normal ear to even comprehend. Hashin' It Out, unfortunately, sees Euphone attempt to focus on some much stranger sounds than usual, and in doing so also finds the band at times unable to sustain its experimental leanings. Tracks like the Latin-tinged "Press On" are musically quite technical, at times even reminiscent of the slightly more rocking early Euphone records, but other selections (such as drudging "Honey I'll Be Home for Suppertime") are a bit lackluster, never really commanding any focused attention. When a band shies away from something it is quite proficient at in order to experiment with a more diverse sound, it can create major gaps in consistency. The two-piece instrumental combo of Rapsys and bassist/saxophonist Nick Macri narrowly avoids this predicament with a host of guest musicians and the addition of guitars, horns, and organ sounds into the mix. The vibe-oriented "Shut It" is a soothing winner of a track, and there are sections of almost every song that can obviously be given the opportunity to flourish onstage. The overall result is more captivating than the 1999 outing The Calendar of Unlucky Days, though still distanced from the record that their live shows have proved they have in them. ~ Peter J. D'Angelo, Rovi