 Anyone familiar with Steve Albini and his work will unmistakeably hear it all over this record (not surprising given he produced it). However, it's not just in the sound that Three Second Kiss have made and Albini has captured onto tape it's also in the influence he has blatantly had. 'Long Distance' sounds very much like the sort of record Albini would make himself with his own band Shellac and I guess that's quite a compliment for Three Second Kiss.
The album itself is a very dischordant rabble of noises that no doubt [due to Albini's production] have had no finesse applied to them but have instead just been laid bare the way they were originally intended such is his DIY ethic. This is very evident on the vocal for 'This Building Is Loud'. The instrumentation on opener 'You Are The Music' is also very raw in it's application but creates the sort of droning punk sound that I can imagine was being aimed for.
'I'm A Wind's refrain of "do you believe iIm a sex bomb" is an intriguing little gem to find on the album as it just seems so out of place as a lyric but I love that about it. Whilst on 'Inexorable Sky' Three Second Kiss make the sort of sound that Albini coaxed out of Nirvana on their In Utero album. It's more of a stripped back sound to elsewhere on 'Long Distance' with the vocal almost just spoken word in a very drawl American way (despite the band being all Italian). 'Dead Horse Swimming' is the longest track on show starting with almost a minute of nothing-ness before the drum pounds and the guitar squeals into existence but the track doesn't amount to much often seeming repetitive.
Like a lot of Albini's output both production wise and by himself it's often an acquired taste and so it is with Three Second Kiss. All the tracks follow a familiar pattern and have that same old Albini sound that he so often creates. This makes it hard for 'Long Distance' to stand out as anything but a mediocre piece of work that I would assume is being built around the fact that Albini produced it (count how many times I've mentioned him compared to the band!), sure it gives Three Second Kiss some credibility, but it's not necessarily a stamp of genius is it?
Much as I would love to find some joy in this release it simply isn't for me. Albini or no Albini I find it a droning rock sound that is just too hard to listen to for a protracted length of time.
Track-listing: (* = star track)
1. You Are the Music - 02:19
2. I'm A Wind - 03:36
3. This Building Is Loud - 02:42
4. Inexorable Sky - 03:52*
5. V Season - 03:59
6. Dead Horse Swimming - 05:24
7. Deviationism - 03:22
8. Tarues - 04:10
9. Guess You Bless This Mess - 04:07
Produced by: Steve Albini
Website: Three Second Kiss Label: African Tape Group
http://www.myspace.com/threesecondkiss
Last edited by altsounds : December 8, 2008 at 05:48 PM.
Reason: Spelling and Grammar
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| | | | Overall Rating | | 5 | | Vocals / Lyrics | | 5 | | Musicianship | | 6 | | Production | | 6 | | Creativity | | 5 | | Lastability | | 5 | | Reviewers Tilt | | 5 |
53% | |
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