June of 44 sets sail to future sound of music

REVIEW
	June of 44 Four Great Points Quarterstick

Out of the ashes of such esteemed art-rock bands as Rodan and Hoover, June of 44 has had plenty of experience. Doug Scharin has to be one of the most talented drummers in the world. Sean Meadows and Jeff Mueller duke it out beautifully on guitar, and Fred Erskine drops some of the prettiest basslines this side of the Mississippi. So why aren't these guys plastered all over the place?

Well, they might make the average listener a little seasick.

"Four Great Points," the third full-length album from these Chicago players, was recorded by Shellac's Bob Weston, who also recorded the band's last two albums, "Engine Takes To Water" and "Tropics and Meridians." "Four Great Points" is the next story in this seafaring trilogy, and it definitely is the most intriguing chapter.

For a band who already likes to experiment with different sounds, timings and instrumentation, this latest effort takes them a step further. The opening track, "Of Information & Belief," by far is the best track on the disc. The song starts out with a gentle drum roll, simple guitar strum and whispery-soft vocals. As it rolls along, it picks up steam, until a violin calms the seas. Then, the song explodes into full throttle, with Meadows and Mueller thrashing through the waves, Shellac-sty le. Just when the water seems roughest, though, the band slows it down again, leaving the listener fully drained.

The rest of the disc rocks to and fro, as the instrumentation of songs like "Lifted Bells" and "Doomsday" soothes like the sound of waves lapping the shore, while "Cut Your Face" and "The Dexterity of Luck" overturn freighters. The songs tend to drift at times, many lasting more than six or seven minutes, but they never reach boredom.

The genius of "Four Great Points" is that it can be enjoyed as background music, as well as in the turbulence of the forefront. It's hard to catch all the intricacies of the songs upon first listen. That's why the band has docked. The band members want you to feel the music, to let go of your preconceptions, to sail away with them on a journey toward the future of music.

02-17-98