Milemarker - Anaesthetic

Label: Jade Tree
Year: 2001

Keyboards are a sticky wicket in the post-hardcore game. A band like The VSS used them to channel the original post-punker noise and add a sheen of disquieting macabre. A band like Murder City Devils used them to give a jolt of 60's soul wild to their bar rock. A band like Arab On Radar used them as another layer of chaotic noise to further distort their attack. Lesser bands used them as window dressing, after thoughts that could just as easily have been left out of the original composition.
Milemarker didn't rely on them, so much as use them as a second guitar tone, but for their call-and-response type male/female vocals it works. On the less aggressive songs, songs like "Food"...eh, doesn't work out so well. But maybe that's not the keyboard's fault. When it all clicks, Milemarker make some of the best, catchy, post hardcore, and when it doesn't click, they make fairly bland synth pop. Luckily it clicks more than not.

Members from Hellbender, Canadian Rifle, Challenger, Sleepytime Trio, Auxes, Hurl, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and others.

Remember when Jade Tree was Axtion Packed Records, and Tim Owen used the money from advance orders of the Even Score 7" to buy an Acura? Those were simpler times.

DL