Twin Infinitives

If there’s a tradition of “classic, internally transformative experimental rock double-albums” — and I’d argue that there is — then Twin Infinitives is surely close to Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica as its peak achievement. With Twin Infinitives, it’s tempting to think that the sprawl is all — the multiple, intersecting vocals, electronics, drum machines, guitars, that all seem to play out in separate time signatures — but listening back, it’s surprising how cannily structured the material here is. In amongst that surface confusion is a deep logic that somehow tallies classic rock moves with the kind of sensory delirium you’d expect to get more readily from weirdo sound-art collectives like Biota. The resulting four sides of sound are simply staggering, kind of like the Blue Öyster Cult being trampled by a convoy of Silver Apples soundalikes, each covering a different Shaggs song, all at the same time, if you will. In other words — it’s perfect.