Oxford Collapse :: "The Birthday Wars"

I'll cop to hating Oxford Collapse's last record. Maybe I wasn't ready for it or maybe I was listening to enough Built To Spill to be irritated by what is, certainly, an imitation. Most tragically, I couldn't figure out why Sub Pop had lent its good name to such a risky band. Sure, they play hard. But, was that all?

Oxford Collapse is back. And they don't care if anyone likes it or not. Their second record, Bits is due out on August 5 but until then, we've got a single, "The Birthday Wars" to burn over. Critically speaking, it's a perfection of the sound that Birdmonster bastardized three years ago. Backhanded compliment. More specifically: You can hear Doug Martsch draped all over everywhere but Oxford Collapse is more than just a Built To Spill wedding singer. This is fed with some inimitable intensity. The main guitar riff seems to keep eating itself throughout and the rhythm guitar thrashes over the top with drums that pound like that heated friend who can't keep from starting fights on 2nd Ave. It's short and it rips. It might just be good.

Listen :: Oxford Collapse - The Birthday Wars