Traams
Grin
FatCat
Street: 09.16
Traams = Yuck + Minutemen + Television + post–Lou Barlow Dinosaur Jr.
Krautrock by way of Chichester, England with a dusting of American math rock in it’s blood, Traams stand in good post-punker company (along with say Parquet Courts and Disappears) by making honest-to-god indie ROCK with a serrated, post millennial edge. If it’s not the lilting melancholy that draws you in (“Swimming Pool”), stick with it till “Flowers” hits because it’s a Pixies–esque blast of jangly alterna-pop fury, anthemic in its scope. The sprawling seven-plus-minute squallers like “Head Roll” and “Klaus” showcase an adept rhythm section, reminiscent of the best bits of Don Caballero while “Fibbist,” trundling Mike Watt bass and fuzztone pedals in tow, makes its claim for indie-jam of the year. Maybe it’s too soon to go crying, “Masterpiece!” but don’t think we haven’t all been considering it. Essential. –Dylan Chadwick