Matricidal Sons of Bitches

After releasing the Solos series of albums, which focused on exploring the musical possibilities of a single instrument, Matthew Friedberger got the band back together for Matricidal Sons of Bitches, a smaller but just as high-concept project: a soundtrack to an imaginary horror film in four distinct parts. He's completely dedicated to the soundtrack concept, turning in an entirely instrumental album that breaks up its suites into smaller movements -- 45 in all -- that are subtle variations on the themes he sets forth. Like many real soundtracks, these pieces tend to blend into each other and serve as a backdrop to some action that, in Matricidal Sons of Bitches' case, never arrives. "Fleeing Plus Pursuing," from the "Ladies-in-Waiting -- Waiting Forever" section, is the closest this supposed horror movie soundtrack gets to true tension; the rest of its music stakes out its territory between quaint and whimsical. "Tell Me What It Is You Want, Boys" boasts a melody that could be from a silent movie score, while "Same Every Night" takes a detour into seedy exotica, using what sounds like an optigan or some other type of vintage sampling synthesizer for its rinky-dink rhythms. These old-school samples, along with piano and some other vintage keyboards, make up the often kitschy heart of Matricidal Sons of Bitches' sound, which ranges from "Zeroing in Across the Crowded Bar"'s amusing jazz shuffle to "The Next Morning"'s Martin Denny-esque tropical soundscape to "As If in the Car with the Kids"' ambling groove. Most of the album's longer tracks show that Friedberger's tune-crafting and mood-setting skills haven't deserted him entirely; "You're Not Really Discouraged, Are You?," "Brand New Mothers," and especially "Disappointed Dads" have winsome melodies that make them standouts. Matricidal Sons of Bitches upholds Friedberger's reputation as an artist who demands a lot of his listeners, whether it's connecting the dots between the multiple narratives on Blueberry Boat or seemingly inviting them to fill in the blanks of his non-existent film to help give these songs some context. ~ Heather Phares