In Rotation: Absolutely Not - Problematic

An album's cover art doesn't always give the listener a good idea of the experience of listening to the music. This one hits it spot on. Get ready to turn down a staircase into a glam/post punk rabbit hole. Problematic plays with the often serious post punk genre with a gleeful air. Shouts and split vocals accompany the punchy, synthy rhythm. Clarinet laces the mad conclusion of the song "Rabbit Hole" and closing track "(((o)))" dips into horror film soundtrack territory. Despite this whimsical meandering, Problematic is a full-album listener's album. The sound is cohesive, the sequencing is deliberate. There is a payoff to listening to this from front to back and something about it - perhaps a combination of the quality and brevity of the release - that makes you want to start it up again at the end.

Chicago's Absolutely Not last released Errors last year. Problematic is the band's first release with Christopher Sutter (Meat Wave) in the lineup, joining members Donnie Moore, Madison Moore and Santiago Guerrero. Problematic is out now on No Trend Records. They have a limited run of pink and black vinyl. Stream a couple songs below or head over to Spotify for the full thing. Absolutely Not plays at Sleeping Village on April 10 with The Scientists and Richard Vain. More info on that show here.