Anthology: This Station Is Non-Operational

Definitive collection from At The Drive-In featuring a selection of tracks from all four studio albums. The anthology showcases their greatest hits and includes a live version of the popular track 'Rascuache'. The album also includes cover versions of 'This Night Has Opened My Eyes' by The Smiths and 'Take My Stethoscope And Walk' by Pink Floyd.|

At the Drive-In was: Tony, Jim, Paul, Cedric, and Omar. As accomplished as they became after ATDIs 2001 split, This Station Is Non-Operational really makes you miss the focused intensity of the bands salad days. This hits-and-rarities retrospective is chronological, moving from "Fahrenheit" and "Picket Fence Cartel" off 1997s Gran Orgo through to selections from their 2000 swan song Relationship of Command. Remixes, covers, 7" singles, and a BBC session follow; the guitar tone in their 1998 version of "This Night Has Opened My Eyes" matches the Smiths perfectly. Theres a great dynamic between "Chanbara" and "Lopsided," both from In Casino Out. "Chanbara" is taut, and full of spirited lyrics and periodic explosions; it provides the definition of 1990s post-hardcore. But while "Lopsided" also has that tension, its much closer to the austerity and melody of indie rock. Because of where ATDI went after their breakup -- in particular Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez with the elemental, furiously improvisational the Mars Volta -- its easy to forget about At the Drive-Ins capacity for convention. Their spectacular live show was a big part of their success. But as This Station Is Non-Operational continually points out, At the Drive-In wrote incredible songs, too. Vayas "198d" is an honest-to-God ballad, and "Rascuache" (from the same EP) appears here in remix form, a dubby, electronics-addled version dating from a 1999 7" on Buddyhead/Grand Royal. "One Armed Scissor" was At the Drive-Ins most well-known song; its responsible for this anthologys title, and is no less incendiary here. Other This Station Is Non-Operational standouts: "Autorelocator"s hissing, faraway synths, and the appropriately psych-rock cover of Pink Floyds "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" that closes the set. (This Station Is Non-Operational also included a DVD with videos, a full discography, and multimedia content.) ~ Johnny Loftus

ロック・シーンの最前線で活躍するマーズ・ヴォルタとスパルタの原点!　リリース前から噂になっていたアット・ザ・ドライヴ・イン初のベスト盤は、代表曲からレア曲、未発表音源までを収録した充実の内容となりました。その徹底ぶりこそがATDI!　彼らの蒼すぎる純粋さに僕らは心奪われ、ゆえに壮絶かつ短命なバンド運命を遂げたのでしょう。90'sロック～ポスト・ハードコアを代表する歴史的テキストとしてもオススメ!
bounce (C)鈴木 健文