Possibly one of the most influential bands of the 90's that a lot of people have never heard of. They pushed the boundaries of songwriting, explosive live performance and band friction. Formed in El Paso Texas in 1993, they lasted just eight years before their fractious break up in 2001.
Clips here - http://www.myspace.com/atdi
Without doubt their third (and final) album deserves it's place in the rock hall of fame. Much like Refused's 'Shape of Punk to Come', At The Drive-In managed to produce their most cohesive and representative body of work when they were on the verge of breaking up. From the second that the first track explodes out of the speakers this album grabs you by the scruff of the neck and doesn't let go. Mixing dense frenetic attack with wide expansive soundscapes they managed to create an album that takes you into a totally alien world that captivates the listener from start to finish.
Must hear tracks:-
One-Armed Scissor
Cosmonaut
Rolodex Propaganda
Invalid Litter Dpt.
Arc Arsenal
Their second album In/Casino/Out (recorded entirely live) comes closest to capturing the live energy of the band - with Cedric's vocals pushed to near breaking point and Omar's guitar lines brutal and ascerbic. While often overlooked by listeners as inferior to 'Relationship...' this album is only inferior in that it came slightly before they hit their songwriting peak. Songs like 'Chanbara' and 'Lopsided' hint at the sound the band would mature into.
Must hear tracks:-
Chanbara
Hullahoop Wounds
Lopsided
For Now We Toast
Napolean Solo
The Vaya EP is another gem that gets overlooked and is equal in quality to the best of In/Casino/Out and Relationship (it was recorded between the two). Well worth picking up if you can find it for a reasonable price.
Must hear tracks:-
Heliotrope
Proxima Centauri
Their first album 'Acrobatic Tenement' is more of an acquired taste and bears little resemblance to the band they would later become and sounds more like a prog band of the 1970s than a band pushing the envelope of what was achievable in rock in the 1990s.
Must hear tracks:-
Skips on the Record
Paid Vacation Time
Ticklish
The two halves of At The Drive-In went on to form The Mars Volta and Sparta. Sparta consisted of rhythm guitarist and back-up vocalist Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos bass and Tony Hajjar on drums. The Mars Volta contained Omar Rodruguez (lead guitar) and Cedric Bixler (lead vocals).
The Mars Volta attained more critical success and continue to push the experimental side of ATDI, with their debut album 'Deloused In The Comatorium' and most recent album 'Amputechture' becoming required listening.
Sparta stripped the songs back to their roots and are on the verge of releasing their third album. Their debut album 'Wiretap Scars' showcased the sparse paranoid soundscapes of ATDI but added a catchier element that garnered them significant radio airplay. The follow-up 'Porcelain' was less warmly received but contains some solid songwriting ('End Moraine' and 'Breaking The Broken').
BTW This is a work in progress and I'll come back and add a bit more at a later time
Clips here - http://www.myspace.com/atdi
Without doubt their third (and final) album deserves it's place in the rock hall of fame. Much like Refused's 'Shape of Punk to Come', At The Drive-In managed to produce their most cohesive and representative body of work when they were on the verge of breaking up. From the second that the first track explodes out of the speakers this album grabs you by the scruff of the neck and doesn't let go. Mixing dense frenetic attack with wide expansive soundscapes they managed to create an album that takes you into a totally alien world that captivates the listener from start to finish.
Must hear tracks:-
One-Armed Scissor
Cosmonaut
Rolodex Propaganda
Invalid Litter Dpt.
Arc Arsenal
Their second album In/Casino/Out (recorded entirely live) comes closest to capturing the live energy of the band - with Cedric's vocals pushed to near breaking point and Omar's guitar lines brutal and ascerbic. While often overlooked by listeners as inferior to 'Relationship...' this album is only inferior in that it came slightly before they hit their songwriting peak. Songs like 'Chanbara' and 'Lopsided' hint at the sound the band would mature into.
Must hear tracks:-
Chanbara
Hullahoop Wounds
Lopsided
For Now We Toast
Napolean Solo
The Vaya EP is another gem that gets overlooked and is equal in quality to the best of In/Casino/Out and Relationship (it was recorded between the two). Well worth picking up if you can find it for a reasonable price.
Must hear tracks:-
Heliotrope
Proxima Centauri
Their first album 'Acrobatic Tenement' is more of an acquired taste and bears little resemblance to the band they would later become and sounds more like a prog band of the 1970s than a band pushing the envelope of what was achievable in rock in the 1990s.
Must hear tracks:-
Skips on the Record
Paid Vacation Time
Ticklish
The two halves of At The Drive-In went on to form The Mars Volta and Sparta. Sparta consisted of rhythm guitarist and back-up vocalist Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos bass and Tony Hajjar on drums. The Mars Volta contained Omar Rodruguez (lead guitar) and Cedric Bixler (lead vocals).
The Mars Volta attained more critical success and continue to push the experimental side of ATDI, with their debut album 'Deloused In The Comatorium' and most recent album 'Amputechture' becoming required listening.
Sparta stripped the songs back to their roots and are on the verge of releasing their third album. Their debut album 'Wiretap Scars' showcased the sparse paranoid soundscapes of ATDI but added a catchier element that garnered them significant radio airplay. The follow-up 'Porcelain' was less warmly received but contains some solid songwriting ('End Moraine' and 'Breaking The Broken').
BTW This is a work in progress and I'll come back and add a bit more at a later time
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