Eat Skull is one of those bands that fall under the Pitchfork paradigm. That is, one blog has become so prominent that it has formed a whole lens through which people tend to view music. What ends up on that site is a cornucopia of indie, mainstream, and at times downright WTF-exclamation-inducing yet compelling projects.  Guess where in this playing field it lands.

For those of you who are confused about what you just read, allow me to define Eat Skull’s sound a bit more plainly. What we have in III is a group of lo-fi, fuzzy compositions that are at times pretty, at times creepy, and at times just plain strange. The songs flow by quickly, for the most part. Little info can be garnered about the band, giving little context for which to view the songs. This we do know – the band is based in Portland, and is officially classified by its PR company as “garage pop.” Well, I suppose that’s one way to put it!

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The album is oddly compelling such that you’ll think you have the sound figured out, before a slight but intriguing change happens in the next song. “Twin Sikk Moons” establishes an autumn-like ambience before a markedly synth driven number “They Burned You” firmly establishes that this group isn’t content to remain in the “recorded in a garage” domain of “Space Academy.” Other songs straddle the proverbial barrier between the tunes aforementioned, such as the eerie “How Do I Know When to Say Goodnight.” Songs like “Amnesty Box” assure us that some old fashioned fun (and sanity) remain in the Eat Skull consciousness – but just long enough to remind us. Not spoil us with the familiar.

Eat Skull wants to entertain, amaze, and possibly even confuse you. This album does all three, and whatever category you fall under, you’ll want more.

Score: 3.5/5

Eat Skull: Facebook | Official