New Music Revue: The Aislers Set reissues forever drone

Arts October 1, 2014

The Aislers Set
Reissues
(Slumberland/Suicide Squeeze)
2/5

San Francisco indie pop group The Aislers Set, who formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2004, have reissued three albums to coincide with their reunion tour.

Unfortunately, this trilogy of discs was lost on me after listening to Terrible Things Happen, which held terribly true to its title. I really struggled getting through the album, as all 14 songs had zero differentiation, agonizingly slow tempos, and forever droning vocals from Amy Linton.

The Last Match and How I Learned to Write Backwards had much greater variety, if only thanks to the contribution of vocals from other band members and a more diverse array of instruments. The songs had varying lively tempos with lyrics telling a story. Still, they really only stood out in comparison to the tunes on Terrible Things Happen.

If you dig the sound of Violent Femmes but want something suckier, The Aislers Set is for you.