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December
20 1995| CMJ
Mudd Industries Rarely does such an abstract album title become so perfect
a window into what a band does, but tip-toe is exactly what China Pig
does on this self-released album, as it artfully works within the traditional
framework of guitars and drums(with some post rock bass clarinet thrown
in for flavor) without its songs ever gaining labored, cumbersome rock
volume or structure. And these long, sprawling pieces are definitely like
hearing a slow hatching of sound, beginning with occasional guitar plinks
or strums or light brushes on a snare, and eventually growing into a howling
wash of guitar feedback and rumbling bass drums. In those finales, China
Pig can best be compared to the tamer moments of Caspar Brotzmann Massaker,
while in the peaceful beginnings, the band could be a brainy, meandering
Low or Codeine. These two ends of intellectualized guitar sounds mix nicely,
and tonally discordant and rhythmically soothing tunes like the comically-titled
"Christened By A Dead Cat" show China Pig producing their very best in
sweet cacophony.
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