Review: Icarus Line

Icarus Line
““Mono””
(Crank Records)

Sounds like Drive Like Jehu and they dress kinda like Kraftwerk did on “Man-Machine”, but regardless L.A.’s Icarus Line treat the listener to some of the most brutal, stripped down rock and roll available.  Driving and harsh while retaining plenty of ass-shaking groove, Icarus Line are bound to make friends with fans of the Murder City Devils, At the Drive-In, International Noise Conspiracy, the now defunct Make-Up/Nation of Ulysses and other like-minded acts.  The idea is reviving the energy and style of early mod, filtering it through the anarchic abandon of Stooge rock and bringing it to you with all the angular, nervy, techy, post-punk moves the kids gotta have these days so they know a band can really play.  Icarus Line pulls it off and then some.  By the way, “Mono” (the album title) refers to that crummy sleeping sickness you get when you’re a kid, not the “as opposed to stereo” once-fashionable type of recording.  You can tell that’s what they’re really getting at here because the picture of what the cover is supposed to look like on this promo CD envelope seems like an image of a sexy girl standing in front of a bed.  Get it?  She’s got mono and she’s all tired.  Poor chick.  She might miss the show.  Wash your hands at those shows, kids, and don’t rub your eyes or stick your fingers in your mouth!