Do Make Say Think - Goodbye Enemy Airship, The Landlord Is Dead (2000)

What's refreshing about Goodbye Enemy Airship the Landlord Is Dead is its earnestness and straightforward approach. The band implements some interesting mixing techniques, including panning electronic loops and rich reverb, which invite the "post-rock" critiques, but also enhance their sound. The guitars are deft, and most of the album relies on minor droning themes. "When Day Chokes Night," the first track, opens with a lone guitar riff that builds to a cathartic demise, but this formula -- simple melodies pushed to their brink -- is used too often and becomes a bit repetitive. "The Landlord Is Dead," as well as the final track, "Goodbye Enemy Airship," both have this build-up dynamic. The band's best moments come during the subdued passages when tiny electronic blips undercut the drummers' rim shots. These relaxed passages seem well suited to the band's sense of experimentation and also allow them to indulge in a bit of variety. Far from the Tortoise or jazz sound, Do Make creates some interesting moments that prove there's more to music these days than a sampler and a drum machine.