Q amp Not U - Different Damage (12 tracks) +Album Reviews

Different Indeed

Paul H. | USA | 12/12/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's debatable whether the loss of their bass player inspired Q & Not U to revamp their sound. After all, Mathieu Bourlique apparently left the band over the direction the band was taking. Strangley enough, he might be one of the few cases of a musician leaving as his band becomes more experimental and uncompromising. Indeed, Different Damage is where Q & Not U becomes Q & Not U, so to speak.
No Kill No Beep Beep was an excellent exercise in spazzy post-hardcore in the vein of At The Drive-In and Les Savy Fav, only perhaps more fractured. There was not a hook to be found, and the time changes set Q & Not U apart from a lot of other post-hardcore bands with the so-called "Dischord" sound. On Different Damage, however, Q & Not U moves beyond their debut LP by adding in more texture, melody, and experimentation to their sound. On Different Damage, there are less hooks, less crescendos, and a potent mix of funk, jazz, indie-pop, and post-hardcore that defies any easy label. You can hear bits of Gang Of Four, Fugazi, and ESG in their sound, and the onslaught of tunes works best as a cohesive whole.
It can be argued that Different Damage is perhaps too fractured and that the band didn't develop the songs as much as they could. This may be the case, but Different Damage is a strong artistic statement either way. "Soft Pyramids" is like nothing on No Kill No Beep Beep, while "So Many Animal Calls" and "Recreation Myth" are perhaps the most immediately accessible. It's "This Are Flashes," however, that is the strongest track, a blistering bit of dancey post-punk that works excellently.
A previous reviewer referred to Q & Not U as dance punk, but Q & Not U is beyond any genre. Let Different Damage speak for itself. It's the sound of a band realizing it's potential and becoming an artistic force to be reckoned with."

S,O,F,T,P,Y,R,A,M,I,D,S

Matthew Gross | Nanuet, NY United States | 12/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dancepunk is the new superbuzz-word in the indie community these days, not without good reason, and this often overlooked album is what I think is the genre's defining moment. Sure it doesn't offer the dancy synths of the Rapture or the ultra-abandon of !!!. What it does offer is the perfect mixture of dancy drums, manic vocals, and punk rock attitude that I can't find anywhere else. So while this album may not be dancepunk by convention, they offer elements of both dance and punk into one oh so tasty package. This is just as technically proficent as Pretty Girls Make Graves, as unpredicable as Fugazi and as fun as Hot Hot Heat. The lyrics always offer up their fair share of surprises. The music is so catchy and original. If this really is the sound of DC than I'm so happy I go to school down here."

Sing la la la la la la la la la la la la

Micah Mood | Johnstown, PA United States | 11/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"q and not u raise the bar with this one. i loved their first album, no kill no beep beep, and found the second-hand griping about similarities to other DC bands pretty unfounded.but those gripes should be erased after a listen to different damage. i guess if anything this album lays off the angular two-guitar interplay and emphasizes the bounce in the beats. the songs are all memorable, and definitely unique. personally, i haven't heard a record like this before. and i like it."

Not just your average Indie rockers

eightpointagenda | Chicago, IL | 07/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was not that experienced in the ways of Q and Not U when I saw them about a month ago. I saw them with a bunch of faceless but generally decent Indie-rock bands at the one and only Chicago pit, The Fireside. After three mediocre bands were finished with their sets, I was curious as to what to expect from these DC area boys. The handful of songs I had heard were good but could not even begin to reveal the specticle of Q and Not U. After a jaw-dropping live show(complete with percussive dust pan, jingle bells, keyboard noise collage and melodica), I bought the album from the guitarist from the band and proceeded to listen to it. To date, it is one of the catchiest, smartest, albums I've heard in along time.Though fairly serious in message and lyrics, their musical presentation is generally both playful and experimental. To some degree, its like Red Medicine but still filled with enough personal flare to stop the Fugazi comparisons dead in their tracks. As for the music itself, it ranges from noise attacks, to gentle but energetic indie pop and abrasive punk, sometimes all in the same song. The stronger tracks are spread out and given regular length songs while the more experimental or punkier songs are shorter but still potent. The musicianship is dead on and tight as a drum. The songs are propelled by a strong sense of dynamics from guitars, bass, drums and vocals that never miss a beat. The strength of the band relies on making sure your not sure will happen next. Even some of the more straighforward tracks have unconventional hooks that just make the recording that much stronger. And clocking in at a solid 36 minutes in length, it never seems like the CD is either too long or too short. Its a welcome break from the monotony of not only mainstream rock but the blandness of alot indie rockers that receive more praise then they really should. Q and Not U on the other hand deserve it by the bucketful for creating a masterpiece such as this."

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	Q & Not U Different Damage Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock Track Listings (12) - Disc #1 Soft Pyramids So Many Animal Calls Air Conditions Black Plastic Bag Meet Me in the Pocket This Are Flashes Everybody Ruins Snow Patterns When the Lines Go Down O'No No Damage Nocturne Recreation Myth
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