The Unanimous Hour

After a mellow period of post-rock, Lungfish reintroduced elements of dissonance and vocal fire, reviving the group's punk energy for 1999's The Unanimous Hour. Some of the band's most dynamic songs grace this nicely developed recording. Two career highlight tracks are especially notable: "Space Orgy" gyrates within its own entirely unique and angular orbit, while the more familiar drone of "God's Will" -- as eloquent as it is simple -- sets up Daniel Higgs' most decipherable mantras. There is an unfortunate lapse as The Unanimous Hour finishes off with some solid but predictable Mogwai-esque instrumentalism ("Sands of Time," "Return to the Caves") and a heavy-handed, bizarre vocal experiment ("Metatron.") These songs might not qualify as filler, but they fail to match up with the superior earlier material. This minor letdown in no way diminishes the accomplishments of The Unanimous Hour, perhaps the most impressive Lungfish effort. ~ Vincent Jeffries