Love of Diagrams

It appears that Matador Records is evolving into something of a refuge for garage and post-punk enthusiasts. After releasing Mission of Burma’s second post reformation album in 2006, this year they have welcomed both the Ponys and this Australian trio into the fold. The band have duly responded with plenty of assured swagger, pumping out a brash, bass-heavy sound punctured by the call-and-response exclamations of Siouxsie-cribbing bassist Antonia Sellbach and axe-wielder Luke Horton. Love of Diagram’s primal rawness is captured well by producer (and MoB sound manipulator) Bob Weston. There are just enough spacey left turns to keep things interesting — outstanding staccato flag-waver "Pace or The Patience” or the down tempo grittiness of "Ms V. Export” are prime examples. As Mosaic winds down though, it’s hard to escape the nagging feeling that LoD are too easily content with reusing that familiar union of incisive guitars and a hulking bass/drum combo. And while the lyrics really don’t matter all that much — this is more about feel than anything else — the fact that there’s nothing terribly remarkable about them doesn’t add to the record’s distinguishing features. Filed down to an EP, Mosaic would have enough variety and spunk to be quite brilliant. In its current state, however, the same idea, impeccably executed as it is, is spread a little too thin. (Matador, www.matadorrecords.com)