March 14, 2005 - If you arrange your CDs by genre, this one'll give you nightmares. Black Forest defies categorization with a patently experimental sound the likes of which you've never heard. You could call it indie rock, art-punk, fuzz blues, even neo-new-wave… but, in any case, you'd be just as much wrong as you would be right.

Best just to slide the disc into your player and forget about what you might write on a music store merchandise divider. A Frames do not represent a milestone in musical innovation, but Erin Sullivan, Min Yee, and Lars Finberg have constructed a superb half-hour of raw, stinging basslines and bizarre techno-apocalyptic lyrics. Your initial reaction may be one of confusion. Give it time; Forest grows on you like a parasite.

Consider "Memoranda," a bare-bones tune with only a vague sense of melody - it's the most effective track on the album. The surprises continue with "My Teacher," which substitutes sinister, multi-channel monologue for lyrics. The "Black Forest" movements, in deference to cohesion, brace the album and insert an intermission. Nuanced experimentation, justified by sheer musical accomplishment, is the rule.

The exceptions are those unfortunate moments when the curtain of sound devolves into a sort of arbitrary noise; sometimes, the parts simply don't combine into a palatable whole. It's a rare occurrence and is hardly enough to detract from Black Forest's engaging spirit. Divorce yourself from the concept of genre and put on your hiking boots… it's any music fan's obligation to explore the Forest.

Definitely Download:
1. "Memoranda"
2. "My Teacher"
3. "Death Train"

Overall Score 8.0