Enon

Though John Schmersal, the mercurial leader of Enon, has never been that interested in regular melodies, he has led this pesky quartet to calmer waters over the last half-decade. Last year's odds and sods compilation, Lost Marbles and Exploded Evidence, is probably the band's most coherent statement of purpose, as...

By Darryl Smyers

September 14, 2006

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Though John Schmersal, the mercurial leader of Enon, has never been that interested in regular melodies, he has led this pesky quartet to calmer waters over the last half-decade. Last year's odds and sods compilation, Lost Marbles and Exploded Evidence, is probably the band's most coherent statement of purpose, as it features two discs of slightly danceable post punk. Titles such as "The Nightmare of Atomic Men," "Drowning Apartments" and "Genie's Got Her Bag" tell a good deal of the story. The best material features the whispered sexiness of singer Toko Yasuda, who also colors the material with clever samples and synths. Schmersal's own deadpan vocals are not without charms as he examines matters of the heart with distinctive skill. Enon is one of the rare groups that deserves a sadly atypical accolade: They really don't sound like anyone else. That is high praise for any band.

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