Long Ride On a Short Bus

Blending the stop/start funk noise of Primus with the obscure guitar patterns and tunefulness of the Ass Ponys, Twitch is one of the more unique indie rock bands rolling around the underground. At first listen, this may sound far more obtuse than it actually is. Buried under the jagged, twisting riffs is a solid collection of songs that would do the Meat Puppets proud. "Tangerine" is the best track here, a tense pop number that propels forward despite the sheer recklessness of the playing. "Pasture Eyes" balances between a winding rhythm, a funky synth line, and some of the goofiest lyrics this side of They Might Be Giants. And the jammy "Baby Doll" is what Frank Zappa would have sounded like if he grew up on the Grifters instead of the Drifters. The album does not maintain its power throughout. There are some definite slow moments, and this sort of goofy indie rock can irritate. But there is a lot of good material here, and if the listener programs out the bad, then this could be a very entertaining album. Fans of quirky, jagged indie rock should give this a listen; this is a band that has carved itself a pretty solid identity.