Taken from BIKINI ATOLL'S much-vaunted second album "Liar's Exit", "Eve's Rib" is a fascinating slice of biblical realignment concerning a woman called (yes, you got it) Eve, who - by day - works at a fast-food restaurant, only to go out and perform real-life miracles at night. Could she possibly be the Messiah? I mean, who's to say a woman ISN'T gonna be the messiah, right? Hell, it's as good as Cathal Coughlan's theory about Jesus working in a newsagent's in Crouch End, after all. So why not a woman dispensing hamburgers instead of a geezer knocking out crates of brillo pads? Sounds reasonable to me.
Anyway, before the God-fearing of you out there get on my case, let's also concentrate on the music, which is mighty fine in itself. Indeed, "Eve's Rib" is a typically seductive product from Steve Albini's Electrical Audio in Chicago, and is a nagging, drum-heavy affair of the Spoon/ Ambulance Ltd variety, which thrusts an evangelical "she turned the water into wine!" chorus into the middle of the edgy guitar dynamics to brilliant effect. It's a beaut, and only improves with exposure.
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Stick around for the extras, too. "Chamber Music" is something of a misnomer, but with its' Pavement-esque guitars and neo-Parisienne accordion, it builds diligently into a neat neo-instrumental, with only a welcome "na na na" chorus intruding along the way. In itself, it's an intriguing sonic conundrum, though by no means as furtive and nocturnal as the closing "One Last Cull Pt.1 & 2" where bizarre electronica, sawn-off riffing and a distinct OST leaning come into play. That's a good thing, in case you were wondering.
Bikini Atoll, then, are yet another quality midwestern enigma. Their music brims with mystery, playfulness and shoots off in all directions. All of them sound like paths worth following too. More please.
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