The Rescue - Volume Plus Volume (Cover Artwork)
Staff Review

The Rescue

Volume Plus Volume (2002)

Dead Droid


This CD is exhausting! At first, I was impressed by the complicated rhythms and constant meter changes. I noticed their resemblance to Braid (especially the older stuff) and Mock Orange (who they now share a label with), which I had nothing against. Then, I got tired.

The songs on this CD are all action-packed, complicated, and ever-changing. I own no Dillinger Escape Plan CDs, but have heard them on a few occasions and this CD is similar to them in that respect if I recall. But just like with Dillenger Escape Plan, I was very impressed and then very fatigued. Volume Plus Volume has only a few brief quiet or slow moments, then you are pummeled once again.

By themselves, the songs are actually pretty good. But listening to the whole album can be a bit much, for they never give you a break. They could use at least one slow song, or one that lays off the meter changes just a little bit to let you relax. Rescue does have some song variety in that their bassist takes over lead vocals on a couple songs.

There are good songs on this album: "Like Déjà vu Like Déjà vu," and "Your Energy Entertains Me." Then there is my favorite "Shoes and Chairs" which contains the tongue twister "shoot that suit sure suits you well too/ it's true that I salute you admiring some things," which is said quite quickly, reminding me of The Dismemberment Plan (a plus).

If you dig busy music full of drum fills and meter changes, you will dig this. Perhaps you may first need to listen to it in pieces to warm up a bit, for listening to this entire album (let alone being one of these guys performing it) is tiring!