The Russian Futurists

Well, this is it. Cover’s blown. With this review CMG officially pulls the mask on Through The Cracks’ secret identity of Mr. Evil Hype Machine. The Russian Futurists is Matt Hart, the solo grammar-wrecking junk-synth pop magician on Tee-dot’s gurgling cauldron of electro bliss Upper Class Records. Gareth Jones, Captain Upper Class himself and one-half of the mighty Cansecos has been saying things like “The new Russian Futurists Album is the best thing you’ll ever do in your life” and “Wait to die until after Matt puts this out”. He’s had copies of this album slipped into Fallujah car(bomb) stereos resulting in otherwise-Jihadders taking new leases on life. It’s currently being played in rural areas in Thailand to nip that irksome flu pandemic in the bud.

Now us plebians and non NGO’s have to wait to be blessed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t go out and pick up this little digimanna of goodness to twiddle our thumbs to in the meantime. Let’s Get Ready to Crumble is not to be ignored by anyone looking to avoid anything “samey." The only other album out there that sounds like Crumble is The Methods of Modern Love (Hart’s debut). It’s this type of consistency-in-beautiful-anomaly that’s leading me to conclude that we will forever be able to rely on Matt Hart to cheer us up on really crappy morning drives to work when it’s -10 and the wind threatens to slide your shitbox under Mr. Orthodontist’s SUV in the next lane at any minute. Go happy.

I’ve been caught dancing to this in my car. So? The percussion on the title track bounces blissfully (the quadrupled-up bass kicks in the first verse are fantastic) and the melodic synths and unreasonably comforting, warm glitch particles bathe Hart’s humble wit in an irresistible wash: “I do pop ‘cause that’s what my heart goes / I don’t call it art, no sir.”

Actually, now that I take a good look his lyrics, homey is a dark, funny, optimpessimist, and even somewhat poetic, despite the above quote. Hart has a lyrical fixation on Hearts (we won’t get into Freudian egomania here, so lay off my boy) and, not to sound cheesey, but his melodic, nearly-Beach Boysie approach to detailed, tactful, uplifting glitch pop will almost certainly reverberate in yours (Hallmark here I come). But don’t trust me on this; peep game: A Telegram From the Future; and more game: It’s Actually Going to Happen. And go to www.upperclass.to for more info—-this is modern Canadiana in the making, communist or not. And here take this, Still Life, to tie you over until the new one, too.

And shit while I’m at it check Hart out on CBC3 live as well: http://www.cbcradio3.com/issues/2004_11_05/index.cfm?page=17. And while you’re there also check out the great Destroyer and Birdapres and Frog Eyes and Hayden and Shins sessions, too (CBC3 don’t get their due props, sign up for their awesome newsletter and get put on to new hot bands before they even form). And have a great holiday season from all of us at CMG! I’m all giddy now.