TRS-80 – Mystery Crash / 2006 One Cell / 12 Tracks / http://www.trs80.com / http://www.trs80.com / Reviewed 20 October 2006

TRS-80 does not need anything in the way of vocals to ensnare listeners during the beginning moments of “The Lights Are On”. What ey does with this album is create a very eighties-influenced brand of electronic rock (for lack of a better term). The synthesizer is the dominant focus during this first track, but there are also very active drums giving the track fullness. By the end of this nearly five minute track, individuals will be clearing for more TRS-80.

What is still surprising to me is that TRS-80 can immerse themselves so fully in such a classic form of music and still command the attention of anyone that listens in. The tracks are very catchy, even if the songs do not have the slightest bit of vocals to call their own. There is a high amount of repetition present on the tracks of “Mystery Crash”, but what separates TRS-80 from the rest of the acts out today is the fact that they can slightly modify their style and allow themselves to create something completely new by merely changing one small thing each iteration of their music. During a track like “Julie’s Story”, the arrangement of the track becomes even more artificial.

Note that I am not using the term artificial in a derogatory way, but that TRS-80 is making it clear that there is a structure to their music. This track has the most wide of expanses, and allows listeners to take a trip with the act. Each subsequent track on “Mystery Crash” allows listeners to open their minds that much further; what TRS-80 does on the disc is give individuals a free acid trip, without the necessary step of taking drugs. Where moist individuals would normally be turned off by something that does not conform as rigidly to what one expects from pop music (vocals, shorter runtimes), TRS-80 is able to break free of that mold by creating tracks that are always incredibly compelling and have a high replay value. There does not seem to be much of a theme for “Mystery Clash”, but each track on the disc allows individuals to get a better idea what TRS-80 are trying to do with their music. The result is a solid album that should stay in listeners’ CD players for months to come. I know I will be looking forward to future efforts by the act here in the future.

Top Tracks: I Have Friends, Title Theme

Rating: 7.2/10

[JMcQ]