The press release for Absolute II, the final chapter in Oneida's “Thank Your Parents” triptych, is quotable:
While Oneida is known for unpredictability and sui generis musical forms, this release is particularly resistant to categorization, and it remains difficult to identify precise influences on the music contained here. This is particularly unhelpful, we realize; suggestions and recommendations for updating this info release would be welcome, as the band themselves don't really know or are being recalcitrant.
The easiest signpost would be Neu!, but if they wanted to say Neu! they would have said Neu!.
The album is four tracks, none under nine minutes:
01 Pre-Human (9:19)
02 Horizon (11:24)
03 Gray Area (9:50)
04 Absolute II (9:42)
While we're supposed to listen to all 200 minutes of the Thank Your Parents triptych in one turn (it also includes 2008's Preteen Weaponry and 2009's Rated O), we'll say this without having had the full-on experience (yet): Absolute II is the frost after the storm, the drone excursions that hovers ominously over the various Kraut and dub-inflected excursions that were signature Oneida as evidenced on the previous two releases. Signature Oneida until now.
RIYL: Wearing your headphones during post-apocalyptic weather; finishing what you started.
Absolute II is out June 7 on Jagjaguwar.
