Clear Cut - The Poison Arrows

With the break up of Atombombpocketknife, singer/guitarist Justin Sinkovich began releasing remixes and solo avant electronic tracks as The Poison Arrows on compilations in the US and Europe, and then on 2004’s Trailer Park EP. Restless from solo work, Sinkovich began collaborating. Bassist Patrick Morris soon joined the band. It was his first band since his departure from Don Caballero in 1999 after the release of the seminal What Burns Never Returns. Adam Reach joined behind the drum kit and Chicago’s The Poison Arrows lineup was solidified.

The next year was spent developing a new sound, rehearsing and recording in Sinkovich’s studio The Plaza. The band’s principle goal was being creative while enjoying playing together and not forcing the process, a vision they still stand by. An initial direction was realized and songs began pouring out of the studio, shows were played in cities throughout the Midwest, and word continued to spread. The Poison Arrows also gravitated toward unorthodox events like the live scoring of an experimental 3D film entitled Year. In August of 2006, File 13 released a series of eleven remixes of early tracking on MP3 with eleven accompanying video clips entitled Premix. Remix contributors included Martin Rev from Suicide, TRS-80, and Jonah Sharp AKA Spacetime Continuum.

Four songs were eventually completed and now comprise the band’s debut Straight Into The Drift EP. This release features long meandering arrangements, all of which were chopped up, treated, edited and effected to the nth. Reach’s mechanics are blown out with compressors into electronic influenced beats. Morris contributes layer upon layer of puzzling bass loops. Meanwhile, his signature bass sound anchors melodies throughout, considerably more prevalent than a typical bass contributions. Sinkovich orchestrates dozens of layers of shimmery off-kilter guitars, stark and sparse vocals that teeter on winding spoken word with a vague pop sensibility, all drenched with unsettling Kubrick inspired synthesizers.

The Poison Arrows will be out supporting Straight Into The Drift as it hits stores. Meanwhile, they will also continue work on their debut album at The Plaza, which features a majority of the tracking completed by Greg Norman at Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio studio.
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