Straddling the indie and post-rock worlds (often one in the same, really), Chicago's Polyvinyl label has earned praise from a streak of releases from groups like Aloha,
Radio Flyer,
Paris, Texas, and the sadly defunct
Braid. Tossed-off roster compilations from indie labels are a hot thing, but ReDirection instead serves notice to just how deep and diverse the fringe rock communities bubbling just under the mainstream radar actually are. From old-school punk to new new wave, through arty instrumental post-rock to studied indie pop, a good example of all of it is contained here. Of note are two cuts from the always dramatic
Rainer Maria ("Artificial Light," "Breakfast of Champions") and a pair of power melodies from Sunday's Best ("Saccharine," "Sons of the Second String"). Should send you running to the nearest small, dingy, smoky club in your city to find out what you've been missing. Includes previously unreleased tracks from
the Ivory Coast,
Matt Pond PA, Pele, and AM/FM. ~ John Duffy