Holding their middle fingers skyward, the anti-capitalist punks in the (International) Noise Conspiracy have proudly defied many music industry conventions...

MORE >

Holding their middle fingers skyward, the anti-capitalist punks in the (International) Noise Conspiracy have proudly defied many music industry conventions in their three short years together. Smashing it up, ditching encores, and giving the nod to activist Noam Chomsky -- who lends an excerpt of his well publicized 2002 speech "Distorted Morality: America's War On Terror" to this six song EP -- this Swedish five-piece again finds itself long on grooves and attitude on "Bigger Cages, Longer Chains."

Anchored by the gutsy, horn-bolstered title cut, lifted from last year's "A New Morning, Changing Weather," T(I)NC goes on to unveil fresh and previously-unheard material that shows a new side of the band. The quintet's cover of N*E*R*D*'s "Baby Doll," for instance, reworks that club favorite into an unexpected but impressive psychedelic rock configuration. Later, the bluesy tension of "Waiting for Salvation" accumulates only to give way to a cathartic refrain delivered with unrivaled finesse.

There's plenty of the rock'n'roll swagger T(I)NC has become famous for, as evidenced by the hard-charging melodic blast of "Beautiful So Alone." And when singer Dennis Lyxzen barks, "There goes the scream of the kids, hey!" alongside the bright trumpet shots of "A Textbook Example," it's hard to deny the brilliance of the Noise Conspiracy.

Communication failures drive the EP's exhilarating closing anthem "When Words Are Not Working" rather fittingly. Regardless of whether you buy into the (International) Noise Conspiracy's ultra leftist political stance, the band's invigorating music is the real message here.

< LESS

The seemingly cloned members of the (International) Noise Conspiracy may wear matching uniforms and dye their shaggy hair black just like another group...

MORE >

The seemingly cloned members of the (International) Noise Conspiracy may wear matching uniforms and dye their shaggy hair black just like another group of rocking Swedish meatballs, but there is more going on here than you might expect. This concise EP features five new tambourine-smashing, Iggy Pop-howling, capitalist-skewering tracks of delightfully feverish garage rock. So is it any wonder that their lounge-band cover of N.E.R.D.'s "Baby Doll" is the dirtiest thing this side of Christina Aguliera's wardrobe?

< LESS