At the Drive In

Relationship of Command
Grand Royal Records

Four and a Half Stars

At the Drive In are as close to a buzz band as the independent music scene has had in a long time. What began in 1994 in El Paso, Texas, as a group of friends playing music, has blossomed into a full-on rock machine opening arena concerts for such big-time acts as Rage Against the Machine and the Beastie Boys.

Listening to Relationship of Command, it becomes apparent what all of the buzz is about. Like most any band, At the Drive In is its best in a live setting. With their acrobatic lead vocalist/screamer Cedric Bixler nearly ripping himself limb-from-limb onstage and guitarists Omar and Jim (they fail to provide last names) flailing their equipment like yesterday's garbage, At the Drive In's stage presence is virtually insane. Likewise, "Relationship of Command" closely mimics their onstage antics, spastically shifting from one mood to another at a break-neck speed.

Opening with "Arcarsenal," a furiously edgy guitar piece, the tone is set for the manic music to follow. The streaming lead guitar on "Pattern Against User" brings to mind the more recent Fugazi, while the album's single, "One Armed Scissor," displays Bixler's full vocal range and the band's ability to tap the listener’s dance vein via guitar. His rapid-fire, sing-speak is often interrupted by drawn-out bellows and long wails.

Bixler's lyrics are similarly entertaining, as he often relays perplexing, poetic tales of thesaurus proportions. Yeah, that was deliberate, but somehow his lyrics seem to flow, despite their verbosity. From the driving rock of "Mannequin Republic" to the subtle Refused-stylings of "Cosmonaut," the lyrics are perfectly woven into the music without ever faltering.

The disc is not all punk-inspired rock, as evidenced by the slow piano and talk-sing found on "Invalid Litter Dept." Although it's a mello number, the song ends in an uptempo crash of guitar and screaming. Such genre-bending is found throughout Relationship of Command, perhaps most obviously on "Enfilade." The music changes from computerized clapping and techno beats to bongo drums and a sitar with amazing deft. The disc ends with a dark, haunting piano song that uses odd electronic sounds and background noise to create a dark, soothing soundscape.

This final track is a perfect cool-down to the overall intensity of Relationship of Command. In a time of commercial radio, music commodification and quick hit-singles, At the Drive In is a major-label anomaly. They are simply musicians playing what they want, paying attention to details and not dollars. Although this may be exactly what prevents them from moving from potential "buzz band" status to MTV product, we are all much better for it.