Imagine an outdoor festival sometime in a futuristic future, the sun is shining and a bunch of hippies are waving their limbs about to some repetitive music, on stage Trans Am launch into another track off their album Sex Change and even though you are a little hippy-phobic you just cant resist joining in the good times.
Sex Change is Trans Am’s 8th album, it is covered with suitably minimalist, awesome artwork and is a return to form after 2004’s disappointing politically charged Liberation. Sex Change opens with “First Word”. Setting the albums tone with its joyous guitar, squelchy synths and driving motorik beats. Things get rockier with “Conspiracy of The Gods” and the albums closer “Shining Path”. The mostly instrumental songs manage to reference a multitude of different genres and styles from krautrock to funk to 80’s new wave to stadium rock to whatever. Trans Am effortlessly move between these styles and although the results are often cheesy, they’re delivered with enough conviction that the cheese tastes surprisingly good.
Sex Change was recorded at MAINZ, Auckland’s audio engineering school with gear borrowed from Chris Knox and it sounds fantastic, very warm and clear. Trans Am have released a fun and interesting album that will satisfy existing fans it is also a great place to start for those new to the band. Go and buy it!
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