The ferocity and tight-fisted aggression of Ohio slashers
Knife the Symphony garner comparisons to
Jawbox and
Squirrel Bait -- hallowed references. They don't fall flat, because unlike many post-punk bands, the Cincinnati trio isn't so angular that it neglects some muscular, storming punk fire. Rarer, the band is dynamically diverse; note the couple-minute breakdown into near silence then back into full rage midway through the seven-minute monster "Flat Time." Not many have the command to subtly, slowly quash and then reclaim heavy volume over such a long stretch, and all three of their cuts are as liberating as crushing. Prior, the off-kilter alt-rock and AOR rock mix of
Lauren Kathryn Newman, or
LKN, is intentionally grating. Other than a nice piano song, her funky, proggy, guitar-hero stuff shreds like
Primus jamming with
Jimmy Page. Perhaps it's just her placement misfortune, then, if she comes off as jazzy noodling opening for
KtS' laser focus. ~ Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover