CD Reviews

Adult.

Why Bother? | Thrill Jockey

By MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG | March 27, 2007

3.0 Stars

Whittled back down to a duo following the departure last year of guitarist Sam Consiglio (he wasn’t around long anyway, bringing his six-string noise terror only to 2005’s D.U.M.E. EP and the full-length Gimme Trouble), Detroit electro-provocateurs Adult. continue to run away from the catchier, clubbier colors of their early work and toward a more abrasive, cacophonous form of industrial dance punk designed for, as they put it, “uneasy listening.” Demented wedded couple Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller here favor malevolent, stomach-churning synth bleats and clattering, cold-sweat-inducing beats, with rare moments of melody coming courtesy of Miller’s flanged bass line. Kuperus used to sing with all the passion of an automated voice-mail greeting: that detachment thing was part of Adult.’s shtick. But someone must’ve poured water on her circuit boards — on “I Feel Worse When I’m with You” and “You Don’t Worry Enough” she’s freaky-deaky shrieky and totally haywire. I’m no glutton for punishment, but there’s something oddly accessible about the mess the duo make on Why Bother?

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Adult., "Red Herring"(mp3)

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