MALACHI CONSTANT – Pride

Initially coming across as a bit weird and twisted, it will take the listener more than a few cursory spins to really appreciate Malachi Constant’s latest, Pride, for what it is: an ambitious, up-tempo, somewhat bizarre, beat-heavy, indie-funktastic long player that’s not for everyone…but may be for you, given the opportunity. There’s certainly a lot to like within these 12 unpredictable songs. A rollicking, dance-worthy rhythm section immediately leaps out, keeping cuts like “Princess Billionaire” playful, lively, and determined to make even the heaviest of feet shuffle with the beat. Guitars don’t play as big of a role here, but when they do, they scrape and scrawl with sonic glee while writhing, trembling solos manage to come across as both fun and sinister. Somewhat buried underneath are the vocals…unassuming and sublime but strong enough to carry a catchy chorus. The last few songs on seem to be lacking in terms of staying power or even listenability for that matter but as a whole, Pride is a challenging yet ultimately rewarding album.

(Modern Radio Record Label, PO Box 8886, Minneapolis, MN 55408)