3 out of 5

Label: Polyvinyl

Producer: ?

A short meeting between some random Menomena, Gang of Four, and Tracker people (according to Polyivinyl), ordering this 7″ from Polyvinyl gave me 2 extra tracks – bringing it to 4 – which is a good thing, ’cause the best stuff was the extra two.

There’s nothing wrong with Faux Hoax – it plays as a bit funkier Menomena to my ears, the first track having some post-punk-esque vocals but otherwise being mostly an instrumental and samples affair – it’s just that it’s fairly empty.  This could just be a chance recording, this might never develop into a band, and that’s sort of how it feels, like people getting together to jam and find a musical comfort zone.  It’s interesting, yes, but there’s not really a groove that hooks you or a lyric to latch on to.  Would I buy an album based on the people supposedly involved?  For sure.  And if they decide to produce an album, I’m sure these tracks would end up as the filler, with more substantial stuff really shocking our socks off.