Joan of Arc's second album, 1998's
How Memory Works, bridges emo-punk and post-rock in a more original and fully realized way than their debut,
A Portable Model Of. Musically,
How Memory Works boasts some interesting arrangements, from the electronic/electric clash of "This Life Cumulative" to the droning guitars and noise bursts on "A Pale Orange." Tracks like "Gin & Platonic" and "White Out" feature just enough pop structure and melody to make them accessible as well as ambitious, and the band borrows some of
Gastr del Sol's acoustic prettiness for "To've Had Two Of." But unfortunate song titles like the previous one, belabored, rambling lyrics, and
Tim Kinsella's marginally listenable singing weigh down the interesting ideas
Joan of Arc suggests.
How Memory Works works best when the band remembers to write a song as well as experiment. ~ Heather Phares