On the “Felangus Box/Coelacanth” double-album, obscure Indiana-based Airtight Garage (presumably named after popular/bizarre French comic artist Moebius’ series with same title) tune up their brand of jangling, folk-punk/lo-fi indie rock which they’ve been busy polishing for the better part of the last 11 years. They prove themselves to be something of an undiscovered gem on their 4th full-length, consigned to self-promotion on places like mylocalbands.com and iuma.com where garage groups are a dime a dozen, an unfortunate thing because these boys and girls really do deserve better. I suspect the problem is no more mysterious than the fact that records with home-made artwork and a DIY-approach to music are systematically ignored at the big magazines.

It’s a shame really, because with the “Felangus Box” half of the double-player (recorded in an abandoned slaughterhouse) the group put on a noisy show with vocals like a twentysomething Lou Reed and the energy of college rock garagesters hungry for the ears of the world. It’s cacophony within the structural limits of indie rock, it’s raw rawk and white noise and delusionally trippy with hints and nods at pop, and without definition or ease of comparison to other musical phenomenas. Velvet Underground with more beef and attitude comes close. “Coleacanth” is a slightly quieter affair, written and recorded in the space of a Thanksgiving weekend. At times like a synth-backed, more upbeat Jason Molina/Songs: Ohia, at other times straightforwardly jarring indie, a good deal of ground is covered in the just over 13 minutes it plays for.

The band serve up no big hits, but then again, who says they have to? It’s evenly thrilling, fresh and virginally exciting, and the Airtights seem content with it. Listening through this output I’m just waiting for Airtight Garage to be discovered as the next new big thing in the rock ‘n’ roll mainstream press. But remember where you first heard of them…

Year Released: 2004
Label: DownTime Studios
Related Link: Airtight Garage Official Site
Date Reviewed: 2004-10-09
Author: Andreas