Red Lines

Trans Am have consistently been one of Americana's more intriguing exporters of out-there guitar pop – and the 21-track Red Lines consolidates that reputation.

The opening electronic hum of 'Let's Take the Fresh Step Together' leads into the stunning doom disco and vodocorded vocal mayhem on 'I Want It All'. This statement of ambiguous intent is closely followed by 'Village in Bubbles', which is exactly the kind of skewered slice of minimal instrumental bliss that the likes of Tortoise would be proud of.

Amidst this madness there are testing interludes of maniacally tribal percussion such as 'Casual Friday' and 'Diabolical Cracker'. The crooning Velvetesque mantra of 'I'm Coming Down' paves the way for what is arguably the finest ten minutes of Trans Am's career, perfectly entitled 'The Dark Gift'.

Unsurprisingly for such an ambitious double package, there are one or two stinkers along the way, particularly the painfully annoying Krautrock tomfoolery of 'Polizei (Zu Spat)'

However, over-eclectic meanderings aside, Red Lines is an astonishingly accomplished work that will puzzle, amuse, terrify and at times utterly seduce you.