Search - Swirlies :: Brokedick Car

For Hardcore Fans Only

Richard Santos | Baltimore, MD--USA | 06/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Brokedick Car works as a nice compliment to the earlier Swirlies LPs/Eps. I was first tempted to purchase it because of my adddiction to their compressed, thick, fuzzy guitar sounds. Brokedick Car did not disapoint. It's theme centers around a song from Blounder Tounge Audio Baton: Pancake. There are two versions of this song that appear on Brokedick Car. The first version, Pancake Cleaner, is a stripped down take of the original. One can here the various chords ringing a bit more in this version and the heavier guitar track that rumbles through Blounder's version has been eliminated. It has much more of a melancholy feel to it as a result. House of Pancake is the final track on the EP. It is truly the most interesting track. It is constructed of the same chords and melody once again, but run over a drum machine keeping a vintage early '90s beat. One can even hear steel drums if they listen closely enough. The lyrics are a lot more clear in this version as well. It has a bit of a "house" feel and runs for about seven minutes. The album's first song "Wrong Tube (Edit)" appears on Blounder Toungue as well. It is essentially the same song. However, the My Bloody Valentinesque blurry bridge is eliminated from this version. It only makes about a 30 second difference in the song. You're Just Jealous is an interesting track with a cool hi-hat beat tucked behind a heavy and melodic baseline. It sounds as if it was recorded in the basement, and later on in the track we hear the Swirlies go off on one of their experimental noise tangents-- not for the faint of heart. Speaking of experimental noise tangents, Labrea Tarpit is just that. I feel that the only reason for this song may be to sit up with friends late night and figure things out with this song in the background. It is not slow and philosophical, but packed with sounds that get your brain buzzing. Not a song to cruise on the highway to, but there is always room for a late night thinking song. Brokedick Car is certainly an interesting listen, but probably only to those who are in love with the Swirlies enough to care about this album with its multiple versions of songs and spontaneous sounds. If you're a beginner, choose Blounder Toungue Audio Baton as a gateway, and perhaps move to this album if you fall in love."