On Martin Rev's 1996 solo album, See Me Ridin', the co-founder of the legendary electro-rock band Suicide steps out on his own, and offers 16 tracks of minimalist bubblegum power pop. But don't worry longtime Suicide fans, drum machines, Rev's trademark synthesizers, and his half-sung/spoken vocals are the basis for each song, while Suicide's hypnotizing repetition is used to great effect as well. Although a wide variety of musical artists and styles come to mind when listening to the album (Buddy Holly, Guided by Voices, Legendary Pink Dots, and David Lynch-like soundscapes), it's still unmistakably Martin Rev. What carries the compositions is Rev's strong sense of melodicism -- "Pillars," "Be Mine," "Secret Teardrops," and the title track contain such strong melodies that they sound hauntingly familiar. Attention industrial/techno-heads, it's time to get reacquainted with one of the genre's founders...Martin Rev.
© Greg Prato /TiVo