So Mike Tony, the lead singer of the Fluids, thinks of his band's songs as something like Pavement covering Bowie. My first inclination was the Fall playing Roxy Music. Either way, we're talking about anarchy imposing itself on order. Gloriously.

The Fluids No Kidding! (Axis Mundi)

The sound is ultra messy, but the songs themselves are not. These are tightly-packed explosives, primed to go off at the slightest provocation. The Fluids are quite appropriately named. These songs burble and babble, but mostly they move. With strength, grace and anarchy.

It's one thing to throw a bunch of noise on top of a functioning rhythm section and call it music. The Fluids may warp the usual sense of accessible music, but every piece of each song is connected. The crashing, bashing and general calamity is but part of the well-greased whole.

And Mike? If you're reading this, please go back and listen to I Am Kurious Oranj. I think you'll find that you might properly have the surname Smith. Just sayin'.

Jon Worley