THE BOOK ABOUT MY IDLE PLOT ON A VAGUE ANXIETY

The relationship between math rock and post-rock is a nebulous one yet both were spawned from the same indie rock inspired ethos that launched a new breed of alternative compositional structures that was forged from prog rock legends such as King Crimson, the world of jazz as well as the more ambitious punk rock acts of the 80s such as NoMeansNo with jittery time signature changes. While math rock is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures, odd time signature outbursts and oft bizarre chord progressions, post-rock on the other hand focused more on generating cyclical structures that explored complex textures, atmospheres and climactic buildups.

As the two styles diverged and became distinct entities in the greater world of experimental rock, some bands such as the Tokyo based TOE found a way to marry the two distinct styles into a cohesive whole and as a result has become a legendary force that showcases the blistering technicalities of bands like Shellac, Don Caballero and Hella only with the pacifying grace of post-rock continuity as heard from bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Sigur Ros, Bark Psychosis and Tortoise. Formed in the year 2000 by Kashikura Takashi (drums), Mino Takaaki (guitar), Yamane Satoshi (bass guitar) and Yamazaki Hirokazu (guitar), TOE has risen to the top ranks as the perfect hybridizing act of where math rock makes a truce with its more ambient cousin post-rock.

The band released its groundbreaking debut EP titled "Songs, Ideas We Forgot" in 2002 but was still primarily delving into the math rock side of the equation however by the time the band debuted with its full-length release THE BOOK ABOUT MY IDLE PLOT ON A VAGUE ANXIETY, the marriage of the two styles had pretty much evolved into a seamless continuity unlike virtually any other act that resides on either side of the fence. Led by the pronounced drumming techniques of Kashikura Takashi, TOE is characterized by a focus on compositional simplicity fortified with complex rhythms driven by Takashi's extraordinary percussive idiosyncrasies that are taken to a higher level via the clean toned melodic twin guitar workouts and bass grooves that accompany.

Virtually a stripped down all-instrumental affair with only the tiniest traces of a human voice or electronic embellishments, TOE's debut is a testament to keeping things streamlined into a minimalistic approach which allows the percussive rhythms along with the pacifying tones and timbres to do all the talking. While fortified with rhythmic technical outbursts courtesy of Takashi's virtuosic drumming style, the band maintains a even keel melodic approach in how it constructs chord progressions, guitar arpeggios and an almost poetic sense of continuity. The simplicity may be a turn off to many but by eschewing long sprawling composiitons that build to thundering crescendoes, the band can focus on more direct pathways of free-form math rock excursions and less on the sprawling cyclical aspects of the world of post-rock.

THE BOOK ABOUT MY IDLE PLOT ON A VAGUE ANXIETY delivers a set of 11 tracks, with only one extending past the five minute mark and a total playing time of just over 38 minutes. The tracks are concise, to the point and offer all the strengths of the world of math rock without the bombast or overpowering emphasis on brutality for its own sake. Comparable to the simpler post-rock bands such as Dirty Three for example, TOE offers a more complex set of tracks that are tantamount to a very controlled form of chaos with the tracks flirting with pop hooks but keeping just enough distance to maintain the detached alternative feel that math rock exudes. It's a very strange balance act going on here indeed but for anyone remotely into math rock, this one is certainly one of the glaring examples of how to craft the perfect balance between the jittery nature of math rock and the best calming aspects of the world of post-rock.