{"product_id":"american-motors-functional-music","title":"American Motors - Functional Music","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmerican Motors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was established in 2023 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; not only to clear the drains, but to add that extra \"post,\" to cleanse the lives of those spent chasing the punk, post-punk, and heck, shoegazing dreams of a generation dosed by the DIY ideals of indie rock. Guitarist and vocalist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDustin White\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and drummer \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlex Steward\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, both have traveled Lewis and Clark paths towards a musical salvation that put them within the magma. Their CVs too voluminous to get into now, but rest assured, they're coast to coast post- rock journeymen who have spent just as much time rewiring the gear as they have screen- printing the 'zines, putting on house shows, and intently studying the lineage of those who came before. So, in turn, the touring and stageplay around the cycle for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eContent\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, was natural. Now with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFunctional Music\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a record made with even more intention, with grander ideals and sonic vision.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLike the snarky conceptual riddle of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eContent\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, its sequel, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFunctional Music\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is the opposite of wallpaper - it's not music that sits complacent in the background. Songs like \"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNo Horses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\" and \"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMargaritaville pt. 2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\" are steeped with inside jokes and harsh tones, but throughout, soaring bursts of shoegazing guitars (think \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSwervedriver\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSlowdive\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMoose\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e) and minimalist atmosphere cut through the choking Pall Mall smoke. But is that smoke part of the atmosphere? The chug and grind of \"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e5480 Big Tyler\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\" (the title references a slum-lord cordoned apartment complex in White's native West Virginia) and \"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarlboro Miles\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,\" still show the teeth of American Motors. The art of repetition and sonic blunt force trauma (think \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShellac\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBirthday Party\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Skin Graft Records). Touring member \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAndrew Krause\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e provides the churling bass this time, and he's synchronized with the bummer vibes that define American Motors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAgain, given the title - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFunctional Music\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e - that should also trigger the ethos of using the studio as an instrument. It's something White likely wouldn't argue, as he's often strategizing making art using a tech-inspired, gear-obsessed, head. Spare the nuances of latency and compression, or what may or may not have been used on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDef Leppard\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHysteria\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e b-sides being used here. Instead, in working with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJawbox\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJ. Robbins\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e again at his Baltimore-based Magpie Cage, there's an existential contribution from the space in which this was created. Not only does Robbins know just exactly what to capture from American Motors, but the resinous spirituality of the studio, especially when it was OZ, is likely an intoxicating melange that informs the vibes, if not the music. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShudder to Think\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e recorded there, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGirls Against Boys\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrainiac\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVelocity Girl\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, there's not a particular thread between those bands but somehow it all makes sense. It fits.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe band has hinted at the \"New Hollywood\" of the late '60s and '70s as a guide and inspiration for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFunctional Music\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The vignettes of certain locales, snapshots of interior space where in those moments bad decisions are made and the mundane can be interpreted as profound and transformative. Recorded at the Magpie Cage in beautiful Baltimore, MD by J. Robbins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"EXPERT WORK (CODE 7)","offers":[{"title":"Vinyl LP","offer_id":59920776560985,"sku":"SDZ-54718","price":37.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3455\/0945\/files\/a3189275478_10.jpg?v=1792081614","url":"https:\/\/spindizzyrecords.com\/products\/american-motors-functional-music","provider":"Spindizzy Dublin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}