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Yuma Nora drops a tangled-up mess of mumbling, function-generated (note to self: buy function generator), half-groove noise here. They've got the mega-interesting line-up of guitar, drums, and that sweet sweet generator all being sensuously mumbled to. There's even a totally free-ass cornet sometimes, too! Go ahead and throw your structural expectancies out because they will surely not be satisfied with this little gem. Think early Boredoms' out-of-nowhere drasticism (yep, I sure did just make that up) but the parts between the actual songs that they wrote. Yuma Nora is one of those bands that probably know exactly how to write a song but just have way too much fun making heaping piles of yes-nonsense noise to even care. The album is roughly half completely and utterly abstract noise and half almost-grooves. The sorta grooves are the best part simply because here there's actually a little to hold on to. Highlights include opener "Garnet Radon"'s almost bagpipe-like dirge, the monstrous "Lake Drowning" with its hugely heavy riff/drum combo, and "Burning"'s spastic and constant drum fills. The generator could almost sub for an organ on the fittingly titled "In Disguise" and the crunchy "Final Death" adds a late focal point. However, the emotional center of the album lies in the affecting-despite itself "Sundown." The band takes the energy down several notches to create a funereal and marching masterpiece of understatement (for them, at least). The band's secret weapon is undoubtedly the generatir-womanning, mumbling Amy Vecchione as both her duties are what specifically gives the band its distinct sound. And, O, what a mumbler she is. I have no idea what she looks like but I'm pretty sure I'm in love. This being a release by Not Not Fun, the label with highest concentration of retina-ruining colors and uses of the word 'dude' probably anywhere, even the basic jewel case it comes in is jazzed up with rhinestones glued to the cover and a rubbery snake friend shoved in that little hollow rectangular prism on the left. Relevant! Sisters and brothers, this is yet another satisfying release.

Yuma Nora at Amazon & Insound