Uh oh. It looks like someone’s getting into that experimental stage. If you’re the kind of person that has ever followed a band for an extended period of time, you may know what I’m referring to. The Beatles experienced it, Metallica experienced it, even Marilyn Manson experienced it. It’s the process of going through change. Sometimes it’s for the sake of creativity and artistry, and sometimes it’s simply a yearning to try something new. Whatever the reason, the results are usually a mixed bag.
A band I’ve been following for a little while, Other Factors, recently released a new album on Bandcamp and it looks to me like they’re going through changes.
Previous called Mercies, Other Factors is about as indy as indy rock gets. Their low-fi sound and plodding structure lend themselves well to introspection. This is the kind of band I’d imagine r/trees would get a kick out of.
Other Factors’ self-titled album demonstrates an extreme dedication to recording music in a very raw fashion. The five tracks go through the various kinds of songs we’re used to, with twists and turns to keep things interesting.
“Round the Fire” is what I’d describe as a jam session song. It’s the sort of melding of sounds into a wall of noise that somehow sounds not bad that makes me smile. Admittedly, it’s a difficult song to get through just because of how hard and long the guitar-assault is. ”Pick Up a Stone” is a catchy and quirky track with fun distortion and a vocal style reminiscent of Talking Heads, although that might just be the harmonies getting in my head. ”Look Alive” is a fast-paced song, very similar to the Mercies’ style of percussion-driven garage rock. This is easily my favorite track on the album. ”The Perils of Ownership” deviates heavily from the tried and true Mercies/Other Factors formula and demonstrates that the band can really put it together in a way that evokes an emotional response and not just a “yeah, man” sort of feeling. The final track, “The Krieg Monroe Complex” is complex and fun, and an excellent go-home song.
While not my favorite offering by Other Factors, their self-titled album handily shows a passion for art and expression, and a talent in conveying that expression.
