Back in 2000 this was the most hyped album of the year, much like The Strokes Is This It? is today. However there is one crucial difference, At the Drive were an excellent band whereas The Strokes are, well not. This last album from the El-Paso crew before they spilt up, is far more aggressive than previous efforts like In/Casino/Out and although it is produced by the infamous Ross Robinson, dont let that put you off! Among the many highlights on the album are opening track Arcarsenal, One Armed Scissor and my personal favourite Invalid Litter Department. What makes this standout however, is how original and fresh it sounds and quite unlike anybody else, (Though Fugazi does spring to mind), as well as the amazing hooks and melodies on offer. It is hard to categorize what kind of music ATDI are and Ive heard it called everything from Hardcore to Emo and even Cosmic Punk!* It is for this reason that the album is such a unique and commanding release, which is well worth investigating.
