Minus has assembled an album filled with vibrant melodic pieces for its sophomore effort, Dark Lit. Occasionally eccentric guitar phrases, force-filled drum parts, and electronic wizardry appear to be at the root of the group's more structured format. As "Melvohol" kicks off the disc, one is shown what can happen with a strong bassline, hearty precision drumming, and flighty electric lead guitar phrases. One is quickly drawn into the mesmerizing composition, which leans slightly toward a free jazz blended with electronica style. A strong instrumental with non-traditional passages and phrases displays the unique quality Minus brings to its audience. Whether one becomes engrossed in dynamic pieces such as "AcidFlesh," a six-plus minute exploration of color and depth in a progressive jazz style, or to shorter pieces like "3 Bad Brothers," which explores Minus' punk rock side in just under two and a half minutes, there is one element that always remains clear: The band is made up of talented, well-focused, serious musicians who love their craft. On "Tard Bop," Minus brings DJ Scratch 'n Sniff into the equation with his expertise on the turntables. Exploring territory only beginning to find its niche in 2001 American music, Minus and DJ Scratch 'n Sniff mold their sound around scratching blended with elements of jazz, electronica, and rock, to complete the unique composition. Again, this song serves to display the extreme songwriting and performing abilities found within the ranks of Minus. The song that shines brightest among all 15 tracks on the album has to be "Stoner." With its close to eight-minute multiple personalities, "Stoner" is a Led Zeppelin-esque piece of musical wizardry. At each turn is a different melodic voyage within a different time signature to explore and enjoy. "Stoner" has the quality of being a "best-of" package of phrases and passages in the Minus songbook. This is what makes Minus unique and separates the band from the masses: The group never seems to run out of imaginative ideas and is ready to shock the listener with perfect presentations and performances 100 percent of the time. Minus is a perfect example of a band that is extremely difficult to pigeonhole in one genre, but is easily enjoyed by many audiences.
© Larry Belanger /TiVo