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Despistado

The Emergency Response (2004)
Jade Tree Records

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Contributed by: Hein
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Published on June 25th 2004

Despistado’s “The Emergency Response” is the first release for a non-US band for Jade Tree, the label that ought to apply for a patent for bringing in new sounds to our community. This band resides in Saskatchewan, an area high up north in Canada, where days in winter are cold and don’t have a lot of hours of sunshine.

Thankfully, these 6 songs have nothing frozen in them. I’m not sure if post-hardcore is the description to use for their sound, but I can’t really give it a better description than being a quirky mixture of early At The Drive-In, some Fugazi inventiveness and a slightly Refused experimentational weirdiness. Starting off “A Stirstick Prediction” with a genuine scratching intro in conjunction with a soft bassline and spastic singing, the song suddenly bursts open with stoccato guitars, the coolest basspart I heard in a while and potent vocals with accompanying backings. It all sounds pretty lo-fi, although they manage to keep more drive into the song than we’re used to in this category. A really good opening song indeed, and what follows is not bad either. The next 2 songs show more of unusual tempo-changes in the percussion, and although you always have the impression that this music is a non-flowing sound experience, they manage to insert very recognizable parts of powerful and grabbing tunes in these songs. “Bubbles” is the more laidback song of the 6, with only the drums maintaining a galloping pace and tingle-tangling guitars all through the song. But the best is yet to come. “Hi/Fi Stereo” has a softer part at the start but than gradually has the guitar breaking into first fuzzy and hard-hit strokes, while the vocals first twist themselves into some kind of Rage Against The Machine style, but then later on in the song scream and shout in full distortion. “Lipstick” is at first minimalistic sounding guitars and vocals accompanied by some handclapping, but later on evolves into some nice multi-layered vocals and a rather catchy guitarded song.

I’d have to warn that this is a pretty unusual album, in a sense that it doesn’t sound anyway near anything you’re used to lately, unless aforementioned bands are still fresh to your memory (but even if they are, this is something that doesn’t sound like a replica of them). And although I often dislike elements of experimentation in music, there’s still enough power and flow all through the songs to make me look out for their next full-length that should be coming out soon on Jade Tree.

Despistado - A Stirstick's Prediction

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Anonymous (October 12, 2004)

Goddamn, this record rocks my socks.

Anonymous (June 30, 2004)

"This band resides in Saskatchewan, an area high up north in Canada, where days in winter are cold and don’t have a lot of hours of sunshine." I think you forgot to mention we just got running water last week , ass.
-Jay-sin

Anonymous (June 28, 2004)

this is pretty good, makes me wanna dance which is always good

Anonymous (June 28, 2004)

Q And Not U, No Knife, Fugazi, Les Savy Fav, Girls Vs. Boys, At The Drive-In, Gang Of Four, The Rapture, Wire: these are the bands closer to DESPISTADO, not Refused and RATM.
great record, however.

Anonymous (June 28, 2004)

i dont think jade tree stole SA from no idea. no idea doesn't use contracts, just hand-shake agreements. and they usually only go one album/ep/whatever at a time. i could be wrong, but...no, i'm right.

baseless accussations will get you nowhere.

Anonymous (June 27, 2004)

In a perfect world labels and bands wouldn't care about making money, but unfortunately, I think that won't happen any time soon. It's the music biz, and No Idea screws over its artists already by kicking back the release date. I'd rather go to a label where more people will hear my music and I'll make more money than one where they barely get around to releasing my music.

Just more reason to go DIY and avoid all of the BS.

-BSD

Anonymous (June 27, 2004)

Anyone badmouthing this cd WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH ME!

-Todd Bertuzzi

Anonymous (June 26, 2004)

This band and label completely fucked over Boss Tuneage in the UK, who ORIGINALLY put this EP out. They were told they had to DESTROY any remaining copies they had when DESPIS-ASSES sold the EP to Jade Tree from under Boss Tuneage's noses. Jade Tree are getting a serious reputation for STEALING BANDS and just acting like dirty music industry cunts. Stealing STRIKE ANYWHERE from No Idea, anyone?

thriceequalsgod (June 26, 2004)

"they're full length is going to change the world..."

hahaha you actually used 'they're', but in the completely wrong context.. haha

im gonna have to check this out. that is one big namedrop to live up to though..

Anonymous (June 25, 2004)

Please start posting mp3s in your reviews everyone. The words help, but we really need to hear something too.

Anonymous (June 25, 2004)

total awesomeness is this record and band...

they're full length is going to change the world...go to www.cbcradio3.com and search for 'despistado'...listen to the song 'euthanasia for haircuts' and try to tell me you've ever heard anything better...you haven't...

Anonymous (June 25, 2004)

I've seen this guys live, multiple times being from Saskatchewan - their full length is going to be just as good if not better. It's good to see they are making a name for themselves.

Dustin

chris666 (June 25, 2004)

I saw these dudes live last week and they rocked. There were only four guys though, not six. All I can really say about the music is that it was very dancable.

Anonymous (June 25, 2004)

This score is for Jade Tree. Talk about variety... and most of it rocks.

inagreendase (June 25, 2004)

At the Drive-In...Fugazi...Refused...yeah, I'm probably gonna have to check this out.

aubin (June 25, 2004)

A very promising debut and the first songs on the EP are pretty incredible. But I found that the quality edged downwards over the course of the record, which was a bit of a disappointment.