Rarities compilations denote a grouping of songs either partially completed or completed, but not honed to the same degree as the tracks accepted onto a band’s formal albums. And yet, when Excepter’s album Debt Dept. (TMT Review) contains a song about the intricacies of burger-flipping, right alongside another that has a nigh uninterrupted refrain commanding (facetiously, I’m sure) listeners to ‘kill people!’, it’s hard to imagine just what a rarities collection from said band would sound like. Well there’s no need to wonder any longer, as Excepter have today released OP, a digital-only album comprised of “various rarities” recorded during 2005 and 2006 (thanks to The Out Door for the tip).
Previously, I would’ve glared with skepticism at the idea that Excepter could outdo themselves in terms of candid absurdity and, um, experimentation. Sampling a few of the tracks on OP, I realize how wrong I was. Coherent lyrics or even words appear scarce on this album, replaced almost entirely by what seems to be fiddling — synthesizer fiddling, drum machine fiddling, and miscellaneous kinds of fiddling. Excepter have always straddled the line between amateur composition and thoughtful improvisation, but this album definitely veers towards the former category. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, when you consider the type of album that it is.
OP tracklisting:
01. Sonja
02. Turn Away
03. OP
04. KNOW
05. Move Up
06. Lypse 2
07. Who’s There
08. Knock Knock 2
09. Jrone (Four)
10. ORLY?
11. HA
12. You Got To
• Excepter: http://excepter.net