Porch

Porch: Todd Huth (vocals, guitar), Chris Frey (bass), David Ayer (drums).
Personnel: Todd Huth (guitar); David Ayer (drums).
Recording information: Different Fur, San Francisco, CA; Laughing Tiger, San Rafael, CA; Mu-Tron.
With its insistent, deceptively tricky time signatures and emphatic rhythmic structure, Porch was at least equal to the sum of its parts. Boasting former members of Primus, Samiam, and Today Is the Day, the band used an eclectic admixture of angular noise rock, melodic noodling, sonic economics, and left-field weirdness, and the band's only CD release more than reflects that temperament. It's bassist Chris Frey -- of the very first Today Is the Day incarnation and fresh on the heels of Alien in the Land of Our Birth's dismantling -- whose meaty playing propels this album forth, assisted with rhythmic thrift by former Samiam drummer David Ayer. But the most recognizable of the trio is Todd Huth on vocals and guitar; he initially played with Primus, later assisted Les Claypool in the Primus spinoff Sausage, and later still was a member of Claypool's Flying Frog Brigade. His raspy alto may not exactly carry the band, but his cryptic, oddball lyrics and delivery certainly establish a tone. Some very odd, quasi-ambient moments on this album -- drifting, lilting melodic tunes like "Your Hair" -- are the perfect foil for revved-up rockers like the cover of the Pretenders' "Tattooed Love Boys." A short-lived project, Porch, but excellent all the same. ~ Patrick Kennedy