New High & Ord

New High & Ord is the first full-length from Los Angeles' noise/math/Gypsy rock collective the Silver Daggers, a veritable indie supergroup consisting of various folks associated with bands like Mika Miko, Soddamn Inssein, and Herr K. This is an intelligent onslaught, consisting of one big distorted saxophone wail after another — all incomprehensible yelps, dissonant chords, and fire-licked guitar riffs. "Faithful Unlawful" and the album's title track find the Silver Daggers doing what they do best: Jenna Thornhill, swathed in reverb, sounds like she's playing in an empty, echoing subway, and lead singer WKSM sounds like a manic preacher leading his flock into electronic hell. In other words, it's an evocative, not to mention fun, blend of gritty apocalyptic atmosphere and unhinged, technically challenging musicianship. It becomes apparent after a few tracks, however, that New High & Ord is pretty much the musical equivalent of shouting at someone who doesn't speak your language; the louder, screamier, and punchier the music becomes, the less you understand it. Of course, that's probably the point. Insofar as this album unleashes unkempt scream-ridden havoc upon the listener, it is a success. The Silver Daggers are hellacious and strange, and they make no apologies.