At The Drive-In - This Station is Non-Operational

I remember picking up Relationship of Command shortly after its release--I wasn't sure what to call At the Drive-In. To a kid raised in a tiny, rural town in the Appalachian Mountains, music that wasn't on commercial radio or MTV wasn't readily found, and though I was aware of other music out there, it wasn't the easiest to obtain. I was just getting into Napster, and the closest record store was 25 miles away. All I knew was that At the Drive-In was unlike anything I'd heard, and though they're not one of my favorite bands today, I can't think of anyone in recent memory who can really stand up to the wonders they worked up over their too-short career. No one melded abstraction and chaos as well as At the Drive-In, all the while maintaining lots of melody, originality, and memorable songs. This Station is Non-Operational is an 18-track collection which excels as an overview of At the Drive-In and also includes a couple of stellar covers--The Smiths' "This Night Has Opened My Eyes" and Pink Floyd's "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk." You're also now privileged to hear some of the tracks from out-of-print/hard to find 7" releases--we all know how daunting a task it is to round up everything by a band, and it's frustrating for us nerds to be missing something. "Autorelocator," Doorman's Placebo," "Rascuache," and "Incetardis" are all included, coming in off of split releases or, in the latter's case, an extra track from the "One Armed Scissor" single. The obligatory songs are here--for the most part. "One Armed Scissor," "Enfilade," "Chanbara," "Napoleon Solo," etc. Though, I'm confused by the omission of "Invalid Litter Dept." and "Starslight," as they're both two of the band's finer offerings and show the vast amount of growth in the band over the years. In fact, none of the songs from Acrobatic Tenement, save for "Initiation," are included. A note on the lack of "Invalid Litter Dept." though--the bonus DVD has the video! Redemption, to some extent. Yeah, they're not The Mars Volta, and I prefer them that way. I once heard someone say that these guys were the shape of punk to come that Refused was talking about, and I'd say that's pretty accurate. Unconventional, musically genius, and totally capable of doing the unexpected, At the Drive-In was one of the most important bands from the past decade, and this record is essential for neophytes and addicts alike. [www.fearlessrecords.com]