I can’t believe this can still happen—that bands can create music like 4fodder outside of the pre-grunge-explosion state of society in the mid-to-late ‘90s.

The Fargo, ND two piece’s Memory Gag Demo v.0.1a puts a patent polish on the droning, fuzzed out frustration-ballad that dominated, for instance, Nirvana’s Bleach, and countless lesser known bands of that day.

Guitarist/Vocalist Troy Harris (CTRL-D) masters the simplicity of guitar work in a way that functions superbly as the only string in the band; and Chad James’ drum work is a perfect mesh. His fills spar with Harris’ licks perfectly. It’s in no way an overstatement to say that a two-piece can be no more perfect.

Most tracks are introduced by a sample of a woman’s voice that is reminiscent of the beginning of Crass’s Best Before; and much of Memory Gag is punctuated by weird and creepy samples that add perfectly to the psych-sludge mood.

The downfall of Memory Gag Demo v.0.1a would have been that it purports to only contain four tracks; but when we popped it in, we got nine! We can only hope you do too.

www.4fodder.com

-Jef Hoskins, June 3, 2005

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