Description
Sparta “Cut A Silhouette” LP
The El Paso, Texas band that was formed by three ex members of At The Drive In when they disbanded back in 2001. Overshadowed, I always felt, by their ex-band mate’s primary project, Mars Volta (an overrated band? they have/had great moments, but, blimey, what a lot of self indulgent stinkers, too); Sparta, meanwhile, have always stuck to a course more closely aligned to their hardcore roots. Of the current three-piece line-up only Jim Ward remains from the post At The Drive In era. His matured age is indicated by the influences you can hear on this, their sixth studio album: the 90’s after-hardcore of Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu, Jimmy Eat World, Trail Of Dead etc. all mixing it up with expertly calculated alt-rock sensibility (Killers, maybe? Not really my department). Produced by J. Robbins, who always adds a magic touch to a project such as this.
