Out of Austin, Texas, creepy shoegazers, a faulty chromosome, are pegging us with soapy rock, watered down distortion, and sleepy, lulling melodies. It’s a vacuum of the senses. It’s a soundtrack to an abandoned home. It’s probably something you’re expecting if everything has already happened. What the hell does that even mean?

With a driving force of three, a faulty chromosome is a rigid excuse for saving a dying genre. Shoegaze, the uber-depressing field of music that started in the UK, is a rarity these days and that’s when it’s even done right. To be honest, it’s not hard to see a comeback on the horizon, when bands The Jesus and Mary Chain and Britain’s exceptional My Bloody Valentine are licking sore wounds and have recently come out of “retirement.” These Texas gloomers might just have a shot, especially if their style is any indication.

Borrowing from those aforementioned bands, a faulty chromosome churns out some sad medleys on their debut, as an ex-anorexic’s six sicks exit (say that three times fast). “JackieO” speeds along with a bass line that could slide into any song by The Strokes and vocals that reward and honor Jim Reid. Then there’s some more modern sounds like the pop cultural “Anomie’s the Enemy”, it’s instrumentation streamlining The New Pornographers, only warped and more melancholy.

Scribble drawings and neon artwork suggest this is a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Why should it? That would be detracting. Most of this music isn’t rocket science, so to keep a tone that’s tongue in cheek, well, that’s honest and rewarding. This is, after all, a band selling their album for $6.66, it doesn’t get any more cheeky than that.

But it does…

“I am sorry,” it’s written in the band blog. “The album is not perfect. There are many mistakes. There are so many ways it could have been better. I agree with all your criticism.” Such humility is comedic, which actually makes for a better listen. On a song like “This is Far From a Belle Epoque”, a slushier number, it’s that witty bite that keeps you going.

Even their music videos inspire some off the cuff humor. Directed by Mike Ambs, the video for “Jackie O” features what must be old footage of some outdoor restaurant band, entertaining a crowd of seventy year olds. The music is great, but far from fitting with the only thing keeping it in touch being the steady drum beat and the random shots of applause.

Something tells me this awkward juxtaposition is working. While the band is only confirmed for a few shows out of Austin this month, it does have a thick schedule of dates for the summer penciled in. Everywhere from Florida to New York, Idaho to Nebraska are covered. Did I mention they’re unsigned?

That’s just crazy.

Check Out:
“The Pleasures of the Flesh”
“Jackie O”

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Categories: Listen, News
Tags: a faulty chromosome