Arab on Radar - Soak the Saddle
(Skin Graft)
This is Arab on Radar's third full length. Few rock bands carry the
intensity that these Rhode Island boys have occasionally wielded. Their
first album, Queen Hygiene II (and the first two 7"s) had the steady
framework of a bassline. But, for their 2nd album (and recent split 7" with
The Locust) they dropped the bass to pursue more uninhibited fields of
treble-y shock. For my tastes, this seemed to be a move in the wrong
direction.
However, Soak the Saddle is reinvesting my faith in them, albeit only
partially. With this album, they present a slightly more polished sound,
slicker packaging, and a jump to Skin Graft Records - which is the most
logical home for this strange band. The manic high end guitar still screams
and slobbers along in the same old way, and the drums still slip and crash
away with the screechy sex-obsessed vocals. But, it seems as if the other
guitarist is attempting to fill the functional role of a bassist, giving
the songs more pronounced dynamics and punch.
Where Queen Hygiene II may have been the most "traditional" sounding rock
(and I hesitate to say traditional), and Rough Day at the Office, their
sophomore effort, was a freeform romp in abrasion, the latest, Soak the
Saddle, mixes a healthy dose of both. And to think, I was starting to wonder
why I ever liked this band...
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