If there still exists any doubt that Damon Che was the driving force behind Don Caballero's compositions, World Class Listening Problem will certainly secure his role as the creative backbone of the math-rock pioneers. Able to surround himself with an entirely new line-up and still deliver an amazingly cohesive album, Che leads the way on Listening Problem with another impressive assortment of intricate arrangements.
Coming out of the gates maniacally dissonant, the guitars of Jeff Ellsworth and Gene Doyle trade off between deep chugging riffs and super-trebly leads. This is no surprise, considering the influence of metal heard in their previous group, Creta Bourzia. What is surprising is the use of melody that shines on tracks such as the snappy "Sure We Had Knives Around," the bouncy "Palm Trees in the Fecking Bahamas," or the pensively spirited "Railroad Cancellation." Some Don Cab fans may be put off by this, especially considering the company the band is now in at Relapse.
Yet, the closer "I'm Goofballs for Bozzo Jazz" should appease most of these complaints, offering a flurry of disjointed riffs backed by some of the most talented drumming on the album. The percussive work of Che throughout the album is flawless; at times he is even able to make 4/4 sections sound jarring, as shown in "I Agree... No! ... I Disagree." In fact, Che becomes more comfortable in common time than one would expect, yet he nearly never takes a moment to relax - and when he does, his off-the-cuff fills still stand out as the main attraction.
THE HAPS: Without needing to compare the sound of this new Don Cab to that of the previous lineups, it can be still be said that this is one of the most intelligent instrumental rock releases of the last few decades.
