Out & About

Born out of the same Boise, Idaho, scene that unleashed Built to Spill, Caustic Resin takes the archetypal "scorched-earth guitar dirge" aesthetic even further, wielding a rambunctious, acidic barroom-blues sensibility and a rather dour sense of humor. "Bring a Mormon to a show and receive 10 percent off at the door," its Web site announces before offering grisly pictures of the band gutting its beleaguered touring van and falling asleep in the process. After locating a suitable Mormon, entice him or her with a copy of The Afterbirth, Caustic Resin's latest psychedelic monstrosity. On unhinged versions of Built to Spill classics Perfect From Now On and There Is Nothing Wrong With Love, front man Brett Netson's vocals moan and gargle beneath waves of sprawling guitar. Moody, melodic tunes such as "Say So Long" inevitably give way to thrashing, Pavement-at-their-most-vitriolic jams like "Rotten Man." The trancelike, slow-burning "Funky M.A.S.H." finishes it off. Bet that one knocks 'em dead live--the calling card of a band willing to beat the hell out of its guitars but unwilling to inject the same pop sensibilities or relenting serenity. This might narrow Caustic Resin's fan base, but it will also appeal to those who remain, proving once again that there's nothing wrong with caustic irreverence.