With an album title like Sex Change, one expects a band to show a great deal of modification to its sound. But on its new release, D.C.'s Trans Am dishes up another collection of its signature consciously-cheesy-but-still-rockin' synth pop.
The members of Trans Am are a goofy trio. Their music has a certain ironic quality to it that makes it all the more enjoyable. Essentially it is simultaneously a satire of and a tribute to the over-the-top synthesizer rock of the late '70s and '80s and creates a sort of presentation listeners can laugh at but still enjoy. To further this image, they often promote themselves as if they were a boy band, even appearing in press photos and at concerts in matching attire and with gelled hair.
If something has changed about Trans Am's sound on its new release, it is simply a further movement towards a pop music structure. Unlike previous albums in which the band took its spoof to nearly epic proportions, the songs on Sex Change are more immediate pieces that exist as individual songs. Instead of the slow-building, borderline post-rock sound layers that graced the band's former music, nearly every track on Sex Change is a shortened burst of controlled energy. Of course, the band is still a long way from being a pop group. Only three tracks include lyrics (which certainly aren't conventional), and, well, they're still a weird band. But the compression of the group's songs does make the music more accessible.
The album opens with "First Words," a strong track with a repetitive synth riff and fluttering guitar. "North East Rising Sun" takes it up a notch by layering the synths with pianos and vocals. On "Conspiracy of the Gods," the trio loses the synths and goes for a straight-out rocker creating one of the album's most solid songs. The band slows things down a bit on "4,738 Regrets" and "Reprieve," tracks one could call Trans Am's take on the ballad. The closer, "Triangular Pyramid," is about as epic as the group gets. It opens with a quietly strummed guitar and then explodes into full-on electric assault.
With Sex Change we see the same spirit with which Trans Am has always played -- part synth-cheese nerd, part beast of rock. But unlike previous releases, like the sprawling Red Line, the members have taken this encompassing spirit and caged it to form a tighter version of their past selves, and they end up with one of their more enjoyable works to date. It is a smart move to take with their music and should guarantee an appeal to a wider audience. They will be performing at Charlottesville's Satellite Ballroom April 11th, so be sure to come check them out
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