Label: Touch & Go Format: CD,LP
Don Caballero are part of the recent contemporary phenomenon of American men with big guitars, no vocals and, thankfully, a sense of humour. Much of their musoid noodling would have been tarred with the Progressive brush in halcyon eras of wide trousers, big hair and expansive stage concepts but what Don Cab bring to the boot fair is their own brand of metal intensity, offbeat free association rhythming and pyrotechnic dynamics.
This compilation Singles Breaking Up (Vol.1) (threatening a second volume?) collects together their singles throughout the Nineties from when the band were trying to secure a record contract by channelling their skewed compositions through grunge generics. For all the desperate cynicism this may suggest, it is nigh on impossible to hide the brand of their sonic identity and some of the later singles on this disk, recorded by the ubiquitous Steve Albini, show Don Cab in their true experimental colours.
The term “experimental” probably needs some explanation these days: They ain’t Tortoise and seem to eschew much of the mixology of the post-rock lingua franca for a more muscular yet quirky noise aesthetic. The guitar sking of Big Black is never a thousand miles away. While Don Cab remain vocalless – preferring to communicate through counterpoint – the suggestive qualities of their song titles are reminiscent of classic period AE Van Vogt: “No More Peace & Quiet for the Warlike”, “If You Read Dr Adder Then You Know What I Want” and of course “ANDANDAND…”. Don Cab will certainly be an interesting band to watch develop and like all the best American guitar bands: Yup, they’re fucking ugly!
-Iotar-
