Don Caballero
American Don
(Touch and Go Records)
Experimental science-rock trio Don Caballero outdoes itself on “American Don,” its fourth studio album off Touch and Go Records. Drummer Damon Che is the highlight of the outfit, bringing together more solid drum lines rather than the occasional constant rambling on previous records. He favors more intricate and consistent chops instead of insanely fast fills.
The album is more carefully constructed than the band’s 1998 masterpiece, “What Burns Never Returns,” but it is another step in the right direction with guitarist Ian Williams’ minimalist and repetitive themes showering the record. Tunes such as “A Lot of People Tell Me I Have a Fake British Accent” and “Haven’t Lived Afro Pop” are droning and beautiful improvisations.
The metallic guitar and grinding rhythm section complement each other nicely, allowing each instrument to grab some spotlight. On “What Burns” and “Don Caballero 2,” another earlier album, the drums are the only focal point.
The song “The Peter Criss Jazz” is sometimes annoying, as is the obnoxious “Let’s Face it Pal, You Didn’t Need that Eye Surgery,” but even in the midst of these instrumentals lies a basis for catchy guitar snaps that catch on like mosquitoes in amber. The brief tune “You Drink a Lot of Coffee for a Teenager” is the catchiest ditty on the disc, marrying a poppy guitar riff to a head-bobbing drum line. Keep in mind that Che only uses one bass petal, not two.
Eric Emm’s bass duties seem neglected throughout this record, serving as nothing more than the shy backdrop of the symphonies. On “Ones All Over the Place” and “I Never Liked You,” the bass is showcased somewhat, but not nearly enough. This math-rock band, once centered only around drums, has moved from the deep end of the ocean to the shallow to allow the graceful twinges of Williams’ string work to go for a swim, but Emm’s bass is still lost at sea.
While “American Don” certainly isn’t for everyone, it is ear candy for devoted fans; a good album to appreciate the sound of sound.
