Like his Hella counterpart Zach Hill - well, his original counterpart prior to the band's recent additions - Spencer Seim has recently ventured out on his own. Working under the moniker sBACH, Seim offers up his first compilation of solo recordings.
As one listens through sBACH it becomes rather apparent that Seim has either played a major role in the songwriting or been highly influenced by the groups he's performed with. Structurally, many of the songs - none given titles, only numbers - are akin to the zany and off-kilter workings found throughout the Hella recordings. But rather than work in a frenzy of drumming that his counterpart Hill did, Seim showcases more traditional efforts behind the kit. In addition, video game-eseuqe snyths/effects reminiscent of his other project The Advantage can be found throughout the recordings on sBACH.
Over the course of the album, Seim showcases his varied influences throughout each track, mixing together progressive rock, indie guitar noodling, and of course, 8-bit video gaming. The bulk of the instrumental recordings fall in between the 8-bit shenanigans of The Advantage and the guitar-riffings of a Minus the Bear. There are others that have that definite videogame sound, but at the same time, could stand on their own as upbeat dance-punk tunes. The fifth song is a perfect example of this - all that is missing is effect-laden vocals ala The Faint. But what Seim does best is the 8-bit indie tunes, the twelfth song being amongst my favorites; it reminds me a lot of Mega Man.
While the majority of the songs stick to more basic indie rock numbers others take to a different path. Track four is a brooding stoner-metal adventure that recalls Neurosis and The Melvins. The eighth cut is another dwindling affair with meandering drone guitars. The final song is a plodding Godflesh inspired mechanical metal tune, a perfect closer to this affair. These types of songs are good for what they are, but seem a tad out a place against the 8-bit adventures that take up ninety-percent of the recording.
The sticker adorning the cover of the album boasts "a thousand times better than Hella or The Advantage." Quite a bold statement to make, and unfortunately for Seim, it just isn't true. While The Advantage is a bit of a novelty act and Hella has become less free-form and more structured, they both hold a bit more credibility than what is showcased here on sBACH. But given this is the first time Seim has showcased his own talents specifically, future recordings could help close the gap. Though I can concur that his solo effort tops that of Hill.
