Arcwelder

Fusing the various post-punk strains of many a fine Minnesota and Midwest forebear -- from Husker Du's emotional kick to Big Black's utter crunch -- Arcwelder entered recording life with This, and did a pretty good job of it as well. Other touchstones would have to be the Minutemen and more especially Firehose, with the album's 11 songs flowing briskly in just over half an hour, adding a nice edge to the proceedings ("Moment of Passion" in particular sounds like the ghost of D. Boon). There's a strong sense of frustration and confusion as well, with song titles like "What Am I Supposed to Do" and "It Won't Change" hinting at the lyrical content. Arcwelder's closest contemporaries would have to be the Poster Children; both bands are able to whip up a fierce storm in ways that aren't obviously original but always avoid simple rehashing of the past, giving guitar rock new reasons to live. Bill Graber's vocals especially do just what they should, hitting a poignancy with an understated bite that a more technically accomplished singer could never really reach ("Such a Very Long Time" has this feeling in abundance). As a band, the three performers hit their stride darn well, knowing how to beat a tune so that it avoids conventional pop catchiness while still being memorable. Further credit has to go to Brian Paulson; this was one of his first production and engineering credits, and he draws a lot of good sound out of the band, avoiding an overly trebly mix so that the rhythm punch means as much as the riff. Unexpected changes jump out from time to time as well (the massive, slow notes at the end of "Living Legend" particularly stand out, as does the freaked-out instrumental rip of the title track); such touches prevent the album from being just a series of similar tunes, one after another. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide