Menomena - Friend and Foe

Portland's Menomena shows their experimental chops here with what can only be called a diverse album in Friend and Foe. This is their second full effort following a very recent signing to Barsuk Records and their critically acclaimed debut I am the Fun Blame Monster! along with other endearing side projects, such as the soundtrack to a modern dance performance choreographed by a friend, and collaborating with Gang of Four's Dave Allen for Faux-Hoax. Looking back, there weren't many constants on Friend and Foe, except possibly that infectious blues-like rhythm controlling my neck. The instrumentals are truly where this album shines--not to take anything away from the vocals, which brilliantly fit the music at any given moment, also providing some damn good lines like "come lay your head against my chest/feel my heart beat, feel my unrest" The three staples of Menomena's sound seem to be the piano, bass, and drums. I say this because possibly the best moments from Friend and Foe are those when another element comes into play, especially those songs where the acoustic guitar plays a prominent role. Perhaps this is the draw of the band's experimentation. Just when you feel you're used to their sound, something else comes in and makes it all feel so fresh (and so clean clean) again. The most exciting moments of Friend and Foe happen when Menomena is at their loudest and fastest. Every moment in the song up to those points build this intangible feeling of suspense, just waiting for their songs to take off. When they finally do, everything comes together. Their sound transforms from computer to energetic post-rock at these climaxes, even summoning up the spiritual power of a church organ. Fortunately, they're able to avoid the sound of it all just blending into one obtuse, abrasive whole; rather the listener can still hear all the individual elements of their sound even at the noisiest of times. Menomena's experimentation is a type that while it strays away from a uniform sound, it still has a familiar quality to it, accessible even by the most simple of music tastes. [www.barsuk.com]