Wish Defense

On each of their albums, FACS have mastered the art of being the same, but different. Its a concept they explore brilliantly on Wish Defense, their sixth album in total but only their second with founding member Jonathan Van Herik, who left the band just before the release of their first full-length, Negative Houses. Now on bass instead of guitar, Van Heriks return to the fold led the band to ponder doppelgangers and dualities. They do so with particular vibrance on the records title track: Though "Wish Defense"s fragmented bass and shards of guitar are eventually united by Noah Legers bashed rhythms, Brian Cases call-and-response vocals ("Im not here/Are you real?") dont connect; they pass through each other. Its no surprise that the album often resembles Negative Houses, albeit with some renovations. "Talking Haunted" revisits that records subzero brooding, but leaves a little room for hope when Case murmurs, "no feeling is final." FACS artfully express Wish Defenses coexisting wariness and idealism with expertly juxtaposed contrasts. On "Sometimes Only," the gravelly low end gives way to pealing guitars that echo each other like a house of mirrors. The bands brash and poetic sides get equal time on "Desire Path," one of many instances where FACS commitment to upending post-punk preconceptions gets a boost from the albums spontaneous sound quality. The last album engineered by Steve Albini before his passing (and completed by contributions from Sanford Parker and John Congleton), Wish Defense is a testament to his ability to capture the best of the musicians he worked with and to his chemistry with FACS in particular. "A Room" is an aptly named showcase for the classic Albini sound as well as Legers furious yet intricate drumming, while "You Future" shifts from dazzling clarity to charred distortion with ease. As with FACS previous incarnations, how their songs come together -- or fall apart -- is still enthralling, and Wish Defense only enhances their reputation for crafting some of the most exciting experimental rock of their time. ~ Heather Phares