Maserati/Cinemechanica/We Versus The Shark CD

Athens, GA's newly formed Hello Sir Records label announces itself with this three-band sampler, suggesting its musical direction lies in instrumental rock and noisy post-punk music. Instrumentalists Maserati begin the six-song set with two tracks that find the band in transition. The original quartet of Matt Cherry, Coley Dennis, Phil Horan, and Steve Scarborough is joined by Tristan Wraight and Jerry Fuchs, soon to replace Cherry and Horan. Together, they present swirling, trance-like instrumental music with repeated guitar figures that accelerate into a howling electronic wind. Cinemechanica takes a more angular approach and even adds vocals on "I'm Tired of Paul McCartney." If it seems clear that at least one of the bandmembers has a copy of Television's Marquee Moon in his closet, somebody in We Versus the Shark obviously is familiar with Richard Hell & the Voidoids' Blank Generation, since "See Carolina's Fastest Trees" and "This Graceless Planet" (the latter earmarked for the band's January 2005 debut album, Ruin Everything!) recall that '70s New York punk band's style. Cinemechanica and We Versus the Shark both seem closer to a basic, primitive, and hard-rocking style than Maserati, which comes off as the sophisticated member of this trio of bands. But all three show promise. ~ William Ruhlmann

Recording information: Epi 1 Ecoystem, Winterville, GA; The Bakery, Athens, GA.

Personnel: Samantha Erin Paulsen (guitar, keyboards); Matt Cherry, Coley Dennis, Luke Douglas Fields, Brent Williamson, Tristan Wraight (guitar); Jerry Fuchs (drums, tambourine); Mike Albanese, Phil Horan (drums).

Audio Mixers: Mike Albanese; Steve Scarborough; Andy Baker.