ST 37

While Emperor Jones is hardly a major label, it provided the boost in distribution and attention necessary for ST 37 to finally get noticed more thoroughly after a decade-plus of recording. Of course, it didn't hurt at all that the album that served as their debut for the label was a killer -- I Like to Talk is at once some classic Texas-fried psych and its own bundle of modern chaos, showing that the band's early Chrome obsession had moved into a more original and varied style. Bandleader Scott Telles, playing nearly anything and everything along with the help of a solid quartet backing him up, dips into twangy blues, Mexican mariachi laments, and space rock noise -- usually all within the same song. "Acetone" shows that much, and that the album then immediately shifts into a nearly 20-minute stomp and zone, "Palpable," seems perfectly logical. The general end-of-the-century psychedelia feeling of the songs -- riffs that don't tear your head off but aren't drippy at all either -- makes for a good balance, trippiness without the raging psychosis found elsewhere in their work, as on the opening guitar delay of "Heaven Tease" or the inspired, guest-vocal-sung turn with a cover of John Cale and Brian Eno's underrated confection "Lay My Love." Not that there aren't exceptions to the relative calm -- "Whistling in Hell" is rampaging biker rock chaos, with Telles' speak-sing vocals adding a bit of MX-80 Sound contrast to the din. "Discorporate" shows the band has a great way around epic slow stomps -- there's just enough majesty and yearning in the thick, steady punch and arrangement, Telles' wounded voice and dark guitar chimes a killer touch. Perhaps the crowning touch is the dank percussion-heavy grind-and-groan instrumental entitled, of course, "William S. Burroughs Memorial Drum Loops." ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide