Album Review

STRANGERCROMBIE WINNER! This article was bought-and-paid-for in The Stranger’s annual charity auction—which this year raised more than $50,000 for the Seattle nonprofit Treehouse, helping foster kids since 1988. Thank you, everybody!

Super Geek League
A Magic Castle Land
(self-released)

Seattle troupe—band is too quotidian a word to apply to these
folks—Super Geek League use dexterous instrumental technique to
dramatically wacky ends. A Magic Castle Land (which comes out in
March) amply demonstrates Super Geek League’s flamboyant flair for
sweeping arena rock that screams “ambition” in vivid neon hues.

Although the review copy of A Magic Castle Land that SGL
provided is a rough mix on a CD-R, it’s clear that head Geek Floyd
McFeely has poured an incredible amount of time and energy into this
album’s 11 tracks. “Space Husband Robot Boy” starts the disc with some
languid, florid art rock of no little passion. It dramatically builds
from sparseness to raucousness, with vocalist Vy Agra belting like a
siren possessed, equal parts Grace Slick and Pat Benatar. The cover of
T.I.’s rap hit “What U Know” boasts an exaggeratedly macho delivery
with down-tuned guitars and Agra’s backing “whoa’s” that paraphrase the
riff from Jimi Hendrix’s version of “All Along the Watchtower.” “Sub
Genius” is turbulent, synth-laden prog rock that recalls some of Trans
Am’s fruitier moments, bolstered again by Agra’s earnest alpha-female
vocals. This is one of A Magic Castle Land‘s definite
highlights. Another peak occurs on “JJ Skewers,” whose urgent space
rock surges through the asteroid belt somewhere between midperiod
Tangerine Dream and late-period
Hawkwind.

By contrast, “Robot Rape” begins as speedy hardcore punk and then
billows into prog-rock grandiosity; I doubt anyone could see that
coming. Then the track ends with another blast of punk fury—quite
a purgative experience. “Captain Tomorrow” brings more heroic, rolling,
heavy rock with surprisingly buoyant, Herb Alpert–like brass
charts from trumpeters Sunshine Applebeard and Sheesh the Mad Mandible
and trombonist Knuckles. (SGL’s monikers are as outlandish as their
music.) The aptly titled 10-minute “Epic” goes through many
transformations and mood swings, most of them heavy and baroque, like a
Pacific Northwest Fantômas. “Rust Within” recapitulates SGL’s
lineage in such skillful, eccentric acts as Gwar, Ween, Oingo Boing,
and Mr. Bungle. Super Geek League may be wacky, but their chops are no
laughing matter.

Super Geek League perform Fri Jan 23, King Cat Theater, 8 pm,
$15, all ages.