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Denver, CO's Mustangs And Madras have crafted an interesting debut with their self-titled CD-R EP, an album that harkens back to some of the more well-respected acts of the mid-90's post-hardcore genre with a few creative strides running through it.

Certainly the band's indie rock / aforementioned sound is that of the At The Drive-In variety, vocal interplay especially, but there's some serious Braid and Texas Is The Reason influences to be found on the EP as well. The most directly obvious points of this are two respective points in the disc. Besides the rising action of its latter section, the beginning of "Ides," a rather swell, more mid-tempo offering reminiscent of any evenly tempoed moment on ATDI's Vaya, has a quick lo-fi drum fill that switches back to the standard sound quality of the disc after a few seconds. If you're thinking "The New Nathan Detroits" (Braid here), you're probably in the majority. Just under 2 minutes into opener "Some May Call It A Train Wreck," the band makes an abrupt transition to some rather emotionally-charged guitars with a strum eerily similar to that of TITR's "Antique;" I'm half-expecting Garrett Klahn to yell "you act like I don't know my own way home!" when they come through the speakers. Outside of these moments the band manages to smooth out the influences and further acts of practical plagarism are nowhere to be found.

Lead singer Nick Krier also handles sax duties for some of the songs, and it's actually implemented smoothly. While more noise-oriented bands like the Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower will fit in more disconnected, upbeat jazzy bars with the instrument, it's more light and bluesy here, and thus fits well with the album's mood, notably in "I Hope He's Not Carlos," or paced and still fluttering as in "The Auction."

Mustangs And Madras is instant proof of a band's potential, but it has a fair amount of immediate enjoyment going for it as well.

MP3s
For The Drive
Ides



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    Posted by the_other_scott on 2005-08-03 22:05:44

    "what are you...checking to see if your own review is up?
    poser!"

    i'd fucking check if my band was getting reviews

    denver is going to fucking explode

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 3, 2005 at 3:56 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "sorry, we don't have aim. contact us at mustangsansmadras@yahoo.com
    and we'll work out a way to get you a cd.
    if you're in the Boulder/Denver area, you can get a copy at Barts, Wax Trax, Twist & Shout and I think Albums on the Hill."

    what are you...checking to see if your own review is up?
    poser!

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 3, 2005 at 2:02 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "Would you say Denver has a plethora of kick-ass bands?"

    "Si, El Guapo... I would say Denver has a plethora."

    Yet unmentioned...

    Slim Cessna's Autoclub, Wovenhand, Cephalic Carnage, Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots, King Rat, National Blues Arsenal, Red Cloud, Born in the Flood, Drag the River (Ft Collins really), and so on and so forth...

    Viva la Rock!

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 3, 2005 at 9:05 AM (EDT)

    sorry, we don't have aim. contact us at mustangsansmadras@yahoo.com
    and we'll work out a way to get you a cd.
    if you're in the Boulder/Denver area, you can get a copy at Barts, Wax Trax, Twist & Shout and I think Albums on the Hill.

    Posted by Infrarecon on 2005-08-02 20:56:34

    Is there a way to get this outside of shows, if not could someone send this to me at aim:terrorhawk50

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 11:53 AM (EDT)

    'denver's gotta a pretty killer hardcore/punk/metal scene,'

    Don't forget Git Some (who play shows twice a year), cost of living, call sign cobra (i think a few guys from m&m are in that band). I just heard some Lyin bitch and the restraining orders on myspace and they rock too.

    good call on grace gale....caught a few songs when they played at larimer and they rocked.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 11:13 AM (EDT)

    FYI, www. mustangsandmadras.com is no bueno.

    go to www.myspace.com/mustangsandmadras for info

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 10:19 AM (EDT)

    if i see another band with "...and..." in the title of their CD i'm going to go insane. it's getting a little out of hand

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 9:18 AM (EDT)

    another band that LOVES "the outsiders"...
    makes me think they sound like the get up kids.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 4:21 AM (EDT)

    these guys are decent, denver's gotta a pretty killer hardcore/punk/metal scene, and these guys are towards the bottom half

    fear before the march of flames are kind of weak, but vaux, planes mistaken for stars, and love me destroyer are all pretty good

    plus with the recent sigings of the blackout pact and grace gale, look for this shit to explode

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 1:32 AM (EDT)

    the singer from TITR plays in Solea with ex-samiam/knapsack members.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 1:27 AM (EDT)

    I like the comparisons, Im going to have to check this out. Texas for the reason was unreal, fuck i wished they would reform, but the lead singer is practically missing so that will never happen. And by the way what is a madras.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 at 12:45 AM (EDT)

    My band has played with these guys the past two times they've come through Wichita, KS. Another great band from Denver.

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