Patagonian Rats
Patagonian Rats keeps looking for a connection between melodic singing and restless instrumental work. Tera Melos' guitars continually change direction while the voice tries to maintain a recognizable line. That tension produces engaging passages, but also an album in which good ideas do not always receive enough room.
The Skin Surf shows how the two sides can help each other. The singing gives the song an approachable character, with guitars and drums adding unexpected movement. It feels light and lively without losing its instrumental identity. Aped also finds an appealing balance between melody and activity.
The longer Trident Tail works because its different sections have time to develop. The band does not have to leave an attractive idea immediately, allowing its changes to feel better prepared. A simpler guitar passage and the saxophone later in the track introduce a welcome change of character. That breathing room strengthens the more complicated playing.
Other songs have individual ideas that are more convincing than the connections between them. In Citrus Heights passes through several interesting sections, but following their shared direction requires considerable attention. The singing and the instruments do not always seem to have the same priorities.
That matters on a record trying to bring melody and complicated arrangements together. Sometimes another change arrives before the previous idea has settled. The busy second half can therefore become more tiring than the quality of its separate moments might suggest.
Patagonian Rats remains an interesting album despite those weaknesses. The band willingly places clear choruses beside unusual sounds, and its best songs show the potential of that combination. The writing is not consistently connected, but the curiosity in the playing and the stronger melodies give the record plenty of character.
