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Yes, yes; I know, I know â?? it's a fucking awful name, isn't it? What in the world possesses people to call their bands such dumb things? An even bigger pain in the ass is that more often than not, said dumb-named bands (examples being 1" Volcano, The Murder of Rosa Luxemburg and Clown Down) are actually pretty shit-hot. Kitchens & Bathrooms â?? who have shared stages with Oxes, Les Savy Fav and The Rapture at some point or other in the past; a sure sign of quality â?? are no exception.
Originally intended as a between-album stopgap EP before the band's creative juices began flowing in earnest, 'Vehicles Beyond' is the Ontario-based trio's third full-length, recorded in Indiana with Songs:Ohia and Swearing At Motorists producer Daniel L Burton. The product of such a partnership is an album that bristles with a Drive Like Jehu intensity, but is closer in kin to the likes of 90 Day Men and Reynolds (of old). Or maybe not â?? my opinion changes with each listen. Now on my fourth time through, I'm hearing the rattling punk of Hot Snakes (The Commodity) and the progressive rock-influenced, technically excellent musicianship of 31Knots (Cold, Colder, Coldest and The Woods) just as much as I am any math rock, whatever the fuck that actually means. I know reviews are meant to give you some idea of what a band sounds like, but this is so hard I don't really think anything I write would really do this record justice, apart from saying it's good. I've failed you all, and I apologise. But believe me, it is good, very good.

Mike Diver
CWAS #13 - Autumn 2003

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