3-Song EP

Personnel includes: David Pajo, Rian Murphy, John Theodore.
This EP might have a title that borders on generic, but that's the only simple or straightforward thing about it. After spending a few ill-advised years with Virgin Records, Royal Trux returned to their natural habitat, Drag City, in 1998, where they soon released Accelerator, the first of several brilliant trash-pop albums they made for the label. They also issued 3-Song EP, which fell somewhere between their catchy side and their defiant experimentalism. "Deafer Than Blind" comes the closest to the sound they perfected on Accelerator, though it lacks some of the sleazy magic that made that album an instant classic. The bulk of the EP consists of the seven-minute ramble "The United States vs. One 1974 Cadillac El Dorado Sedan," which isn't quite as woolly as their early excursions, but is still proudly hazy and murky, ultimately attaining a tattered majesty as Jennifer Herrema and Neil Hagerty shout "Land of God" over a beautiful guitar solo. "Run Shaker Life" might be the best song here, if only for its off-the-cuff feel and the raw call-and-response between the duo. 3-Song EP might not be Royal Trux's finest work, but it's a fun set of songs that die-hard fans will enjoy. ~ Heather Phares