Ludicra - Self-Titled

Given my recent interview with Ludicra, I thought I'd revisit their self-titled EP which came out last year. Three tracks, 23 minutes - but both the vinyl and CD versions come with extra goodies. The 12" (pictured above) is a one-sided pressing on white vinyl with a screenprinted flipside, while the CD has five songs' worth of live video footage, as well as a lovely, poignant photo slideshow.

Ludicra - Wooden Wheels

These tracks come from the Another Great Love Song sessions, so they sound lusher and crisper than Fex Urbis Lex Orbis. One can hear why they were left off the album - but it's not for lack of quality, as they house some of the band's best work. The second track is over nine minutes long, the third is an experimental instrumental with strings, and "Wooden Wheels" is, well, beautifully fragmentary.

It starts with the trademark Ludicra shuffle, then goes into a section at 2:02 that's just crazy. The guitars sustain a chord and drummer Aesop drops into a wonderfully groovy hi-hat pattern. Then comes a huge, bad-ass riff that starts modulating - and keeps modulating. Up and down the riff goes, until it finally lands, exhausted, a minute later. The song then trudges to a close amid pools of feedback. ABC structure, each part disappearing, never to come back.

Not all songs should be like this, but sometimes it's nice not to have the artifice of verses and choruses. That's why I love Ludicra - they're like life. Aptly, you can find this at Life Is Abuse.