For every person that you'll meet who has heard or seen Atom and his sequencing buddy, "the package," you'll hear a great story. Atom and His Package are based out of Philly and tour the country like crazy playing for crowds of all different varieties. Atom plays guitar and sings while a pre-programmed sequencer plays drumbeats, keyboards and every other sound you can think of (including bells, chimes, and vibes). I saw Atom only once (so far) in Baltimore, opening for the likes of Zao and Boy Sets Fire. Suffice to say he caught my attention and everyone else's. If you ask around, it won't be too long until you find a fanatic, obsessed with the man and his machine.
At first listen, I couldn't decide if I liked this CD or not. To be honest, despite seeing the guy in action, I still found myself not being able to make sense out of what I was listening to. But after repeated exposure, I can't seem to turn it off. The songs very easily get lodged in your head, and you're forced to dwell on the magically high-pitched voice of Atom day and night. While he writes a lot of comical songs like "Undercover Funny" and "Atari Track and Field New Controller Conspiracy," he also is capable of writing a very serious song which deals with death and the loss of loved ones called "Before My Friends Do." This is probably my favorite track on the album, but there are many close seconds.
The music has more hooks than a closet, and might possibly have some sort of post-hypnotic suggestion to it, because I can't seem to turn the thing off. The different sounds mixed with the guitar and drum beats works to create a mixture guaranteed to quench the thirst left by other stereotypical filler music. This is a true punk CD in that it defies what is considered to be normal and strays in new directions pushing the boundaries and challenging the listener's ear. The recording is great, the artwork good and in the end a very solid release. If you get a chance to listen to it, and you don't like it at first, give it some time. I think you'll find, like I did, that it grows on you like mold in a boathouse. I don't know enough about Atom to compare this particular album to earlier releases, but I think that "Redefining Music" is just what the doctor ordered.
A-
Similar sounding releases
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2005SunshineMoonshower and Razorblades
2005Bright EyesDigital Ash in a Digital Urn
