The Spiny Anteaters' second album introduces a new sense of directness to the warm and fuzzy low-fi pop that characterized
All is Well -- there's a bit of a slanted post-punk aesthetic in the record's most interesting compositional turns, as evidenced by a cover of
Wire's "Lowdown." It's a sound that fits the band well, taking their low-fi indie on a brief rock holiday before developing the esoteric fuzz and spacy loops that would mark 1998's
Last Supper --
Current still has some of the warmth, jangle, and fuzz that gave
All is Well its bedroom-pop qualities, but they're brushed up, honed to a point, and brought out into the spotlight. It's another interesting progression for a band that can alter their technique significantly without ever changing their aims. ~ Nitsuh Abebe