Love of Diagrams - Mosaic (Matador)
4/5
By: Chris O'Toole
For some bands a bouquet of critical acclaim can be a burden. Hyperbole reaches unassailable heights, words and pictures flow through the hands of millions in all possible mediums and the band themselves begin to be taken in by their own press machinery. Only when the ragged clothes of publicity fall away and the true, naked, band remain, on stage and under the glare of the limelight, does the truth become apparent, and the hollow, gaunt and pale reality dispels all hope. Conversely, for others, critical acclaim is a blessing; it opens doors for promising bands, attracts circling big name producers and secures record deals. The interest of those few who set trends guarantees some bands a place at the head of the table, at the front of the queue that they sometimes do not deserve, witness the Vines, but at others it shines light in secluded areas and reveals some sparkling and overlooked gems, witness the Drones.
Love of Diagrams have been shining on the periphery of popular music culture since they began playing live in 2001. Yet, only recently, following tours with Sonic Youth and Electrelane amongst others, have they begun to make a name for themselves. Their largely instrumental debut album 'The Target is You' garnered some interest, but the end result read 'must try harder'. In response Love of Diagrams went away, toured relentlessly and added vocals to their stripped down, minimalist, rock sound. The result is 'Mosaic', a bare, poignant and earnest collection of rock tracks; an album of democratic exploration, utilising each of the four components of the bands sound to examine the possibilities of sparse rock production. Wire once toured these waters, and Love of Diagrams share a similar production aesthetic; utilising what is only truly necessary to put their message across and striking all indulgence from their recordings. Recorded by Bob Weston, not the fly-by-night sometime member of Fleetwood Mac during the early 1970s but the member North American minimalist rock juggernaut Shellac, 'Mosaic' captures the vibrant iconoclasm of post-punk, and filters it through a modern paradigm.
Critics might suggest a mere homage to Gang of Four and PiL, but 'Mosaic' is more than that; its controlled, angular sound at once extolling and reinvigorating a patent sound. Recorded at the studio home of Steve Albini in Chicago, the Electrical Audio Studios, Mosaic does maintain some similarities to Shellac. The copper plectrum barbwire bass sound is pure Shellac and the micromanagement of the drum recording again inspires comparisons to their mentors work, but Love of Diagrams are able to blend these influences into their own sound and put their own stamp upon it. The foundation of their dynamic is in the relentless assault of drummer Monika Fikerle, who beats out a mightier than thou percussive battering with relentless vigour. The interplay between her and bassist Antonia Sellbach then provide the solid groundwork for layers of fuzz guitar and earnest call/response vocal contributions. Tempos wax and wane, especially on album centre piece 'Confrontation' which contains the bands entire repertoire over four exquisite minutes, but Love of Diagrams never lose sight of their the matter-of-fact endearment.
Whilst they are sometimes plaintive, occasionally aggressive or mournful, Love of Diagrams are always affecting; sounding earnest without pretension. Tracks, including 'Ms. V Export' and 'Double' are slower and show a depth and variety to the their sound that perhaps would not be expected from such a small selection of ingredients. Again, 'Trouble' and 'At 100%' are straight out high speed rock tracks and show a different side again, sneering, spiting and live fast, beautiful corpse blah blah blah. Extracting all these sounds from such a simple palette is the real success story here, and creates a truly invigorating listen which grows increasingly rewarding with each listen.
Watch the video to 'No Way Out' HERE.
Artists in this article: Love of Diagrams
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