I used to hate 'ctrl,' 'alt,' and 'delete.' Used in succession, it only meant one thing - reboot. That's right! Your computer is fucked and there is nothing you can do. Accept defeat and hit those keys. Anything you were working on is lost forever. But now, I'm kind of fond of them. UK post-rock trio Ctrlaltdelete has redefined those keys as a means to elation instead of frustration.
Their four-song EP, Mondegreens, begins with the song 'Each of These Innocents on the Street is Engulfed by a Terror of Their own Ordinariness.' Fortunately the music that comprises the song is not long-winded like its name. Instead, we are treated to upbeat guitar melodies and smooth-flowing drumming arranged in quite a dynamic manner. The result is not unlike the material of Explosions in the Sky and The Rum Diary.
On the next track, 'All out Greatest Memories are in Sepia,' Ctrlaltdelete intensify things. Guitarist Ben Maxwell makes significant use of his distortion pedals this time around. The path taken falls in line with the work of Isis, as it makes use of a gradual building sequence that doesn't reach its climax until the end of the track. But when it does, it is heaven. One main different remains, however, as this piece is not nearly as textured as that of Isis. 'Patter, Chance and Menace' follows in the same vein, though it hits its mark much sooner.
Mondegreens commences with 'Your Aggression, My Venture,' a six minute undertaking that juxtaposes the slow-moving yet meticulous with the dramatic and 'chaotic.' During the course of listening to this song, like the others, I found myself drifting. That is to say, I would close my eyes and relax, absorbing the lush tones of the guitars, the warm basslines, and the rhythmic drumming as they surrounded me.
Mondegreens is a triumphant EP that given the right promotion could easily catapult this UK trio into the upper echelon of post-rock groups. My only wish is that this was a full-length, as 26 minutes only left me wanting more.
