IF IT AIN’T BREAKFAST DON’T FIX IT “There Will Be Casualties” (Antiquated Future Records)



Jeff Shannon of Oympia, Wa. brings a duffle bag of surprises when he shows up to the dance. I might have a notion where he is going with a particular song, and I will be wrong. It’s time to rethink my own listening strategy.

First a jaunty number descendent of Jonathan Richman and Marc Bolan catalogues ascends to a Mothersbaugh-esque orchestral filigree. He takes chances lyrically, offering torn paper handwritten confessions and clues to the environments, objects and activities in the world or his world.

As unsettling as “Blood”, “There Will Be Casualties” could be considered a document of the death of one part of the self, and the clearing of the path for new life. Each cassette has a hand carved stamp of a blue Darth Vader bleeding from his mask. Is this like the films and books that begin close to the end of the story, and conclude with a brief minute of closure?

As you can see, an adhesive bandage is stuck to each cassette, possibly to prevent leakage of essential emotional truths in transit. This is no ordinary consumption of audio or visual material. This is a package communicating to people with questions. There are more questions. But If I find this in my cereal box, I know that I’m starting my day off right.

https://antiquatedfuture.bandcamp.com/album/there-will-be-casualties
http://www.antiquatedfuture.com/music/there-will-be-casualties/

--Adam Padavano