NOISE RATCHET
Noise Ratchet EP (The Militia Group)
Reviewed by Jason Thornberry

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Noise Ratchet's mechanized stop-start-stop rhythms are an example of what happens when a group of musicians grow up and move away from the intermittent shock value of pure textbook noise - their is sound weary of both speed and anger -- while retaining a heavy side. The songs themselves hold the impulsiveness of a kid with five cans of soda in him and nothing to do. The music jerks about, and careens off of itself nicely, but the only problem with Noise Ratchet's self-titled EP is the similarity Joel Hosler brings to the songs, no matter how different each actually is. Maybe it's because he sings in the same key and producer Ben Moore mixed his voice too high, so that the instant he starts to sing he walks all over each track. "A Way to the Heart", something they might have knocked off at practice has acoustic guitars, and even some sweet girl cooing and gives you the feeling they're in the room with you when this is on the stereo at 2 a.m. But this bumpy, short release peaks there.

© 2003 - Jason Thornberry