Causey Vs. Everything

Album Review

This is a peculiar listen. One gets the distinct feeling that there is a message being advanced here, but it's nebulous at best. Is Causey Way a cult, or do they simply borrow the trappings of computer-age coltishness and stitch them into their new wave-ish rock quilt. Though certainly not the first indie rock band to do that, Causey Way adds a few flourishes, and a different flavor icing to that cake. Artsy cultishness aside, Causey Vs. Everything's greatest strength — above the Nico meets B-52's female vocals, Devo-esque keyboards, and creepy surf guitar (think Klaus Flouride of the Dead Kennedys) — is the locked-down rhythm section; the sharply focused, oddly hard-rocking drumming. And what's best about that is the perfectly organic quality of the drums. One often finds bands of this ilk — those that hearken back to the repetitive, stiff droning of Krautrock — giving in, usually due to inability, to synthetic drumming, whether computer generated or via a drum machine. Causey Way, thankfully, is blessed in that area. It's a creepy record; weirdness certainly abounds.