Links:

Nitkowski on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/nitkowski
Function Records home page: http://www.functionrecords.com/

Artsy noise-ambient alternative music. A great band to have play your art show halls and exhibits, maybe even road trips to see an out of town show.

North London-based Nitkowski bring noise and confusion by the truckload, not unlike a flatbed full of guitars and cymbals flipping over on a highway into a school bus full of art-school kids. The listener is left to hear the wreck, see the bodies smeared on the highway, and try to keep up with the timing.

Nitkowski could easily be pigeon-holed into math-rock, math-core, post-hardcore, and other like genres. Chauffers starts strong with arpeggios and well-crafted and off-time drums. Noisy, passionate screeching and heavy cymbals set up the album in  “The Taste and Stink of Old Coins.” Later examples are “Needs” and “Gukurahundi”. Other tracks rely heavily on sound effects and ambient noises with spacey, almost industrial drums. This LP serves generous portions of post-punk power, melodic distorted guitars, and odd-ball timing. In this respect, I highly endorse the album. I’ve always been a sucker for strained vocals laying on top of melodic post-punk.

According to their MySpace page, the band has uber-cool names consisting of single letters: E, D, and A. How very. Check out their MySpace page entry “Things we have been compared to (funny).” Pretty funny shit, really. Some comparisons are unreal. To take my stab at comparisons, which both of my loyal readers will know I am apt to do, I would say a less-structured 12-Hour Turn, or maybe a pissed-off Fugazi/Rights of Spring left alone to do a jam without the constraints of time to worry about.

Chauffers is not for the uninitiated listener; it is not recommended if one requires guitar hooks, sing along anthems, and a catchy chorus to sing along to with 50 of your best friends at a show. It is not for those looking for clear rhythms and obvious places to end songs. Not at all. It is highly recommended to those who prefer their post-punk to drone on and become a part of the room more than a band playing a room. Follow? It’s not an easy listen, but sometimes a good challenge makes the listener stronger and wiser and more likely to appreciate art noise.

For fans of Sonic Youth, 12-Hour Turn, United Sons of Toil, Ampere, and Assholeparade.