Throbbing dissonance, electronic squalls and screeching that never really approaches singing. Must be from Chicago, right?

Absolutely Not Problematic (No Trend)

Yeppers. This now-quartet bumps and grinds its way through a set of seven songs, only one of which clocks in at longer than 2:40. Imagine if Brainiac and U.S. Maple decided to play Ramones songs--at maximum tempo and volume. So, yeah, we're talking about the new wave of no wave. Or something like that.

If the previous paragraphs reads like word salad to you, that's cool. Absolutely Not is at once a throwback and a creature of the future. Not necessarily a future a lot of people want to see, but a future nonetheless. Me, I'm happy to wallow in this world.

Does it make sense? Not always. But these kinetic wails of noise areas invigorating as anything I've heard in ages. Lovely blisters.

Jon Worley