In the time since The Redneck Manifesto‘s last record,  2004′s I Am Brazil musos have seen the whole post/math-rock scene explode in everything from wonderful swishes of atmospheric bliss, to anarchic rumblings of rage set to a backdrop of an impending apocalypse.

It’s been six years since the Dublin 5 piece released a long-player and we’ve had many bands come and go in the mean time. Ireland has been quite lucky with the talent that has emerged form the post/math rock scene. Drop-d favourites include God Is An Astronaut, Parhelia, And So I Watch You From Afar, The Butterfly Explosion, Bats, Jogging, This Is How It Ends, Enemies, New Secret Weapon and of course the mighty Adebisi Shank. Ok, GIAA have been around longer but as far as I can tell they’re the only ones that are longer in the tooth.

Friendship is released today, Friday, 26th March, courtesy of those wonderful people at Richter Collective, a few of the above bands are also involved with the label that have been working the hell out of themselves of recent time and for the listening public it’s been top notch quality stuff so far.

This ensemble seem to take the approach that they aren’t like other bands

Enough jibber-jabber, is the bloody thing any good? Hell yea it’s good. The album was well worth the wait. Even though we had two EPs way back in 2006, it’s been too long since a full Redneck record.

The great thing about this record is that it pulls off one of the hardest effectuates in modern music, it manages to sound utterly and completely original while somehow feeling familiar. Like meeting your favourite uncle at a wedding you haven’t seen since the last family celebration.

Friendship doesn’t have the sweeping crescendos which some of the above bands employ, nor do they bludgeon you with distortion and rage like some of the above, (that’s not a bad thing mind you) rather this ensemble seem to take the approach that they aren’t like other bands.

They do not always play solidly as a unit as a normal band would, oh no friend, this is a band of individuals and a band that sure as hell isn’t afraid to show off. And you know what, these cool cats pull it off with ease.

It’s easy to label them post/math rock and even though most bands have a problem with being labelled, I don’t. In fact I like it, makes it easier to find new bands on Last FM etc. However, even though the normal characteristics of both post/math rock can be heard during Friendship there are many moments when many other influences come to the forefront. Part Jazz, part Funk, Electro at times, even some, dare I say it, Pop styling are all mixed into the glorious medley of tunes.

There are no stand out tracks on the record, every listen offers up a new favourite so it’s nearly impossible to name a favourite. It’s a album that should be listened to in it’s entirety, because every song is placed perfectly to follow the previous one. My only criticism is that it’s too short, more please next time fellows.

Oh, someone bet me a fiver I couldn’t write this without mentioning Jape, so here you are, I owe you a fiver, join the queue.

Drop-d Rating: 9/10

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