Birdstriking hits the mark with debut album

Often dismissed as "decent, but derivative," considering indie trio Birdstriking's debut self-titled album without mentioning its incubator would diminish the band's significance in the Beijing music scene.

Perching at Haidian district club D-22 in 2009, the band came too late for the club's first "No Beijing" wave, which includes labelmates Carsick Cars, and too early for the noise bands that filled experimental-loving Zoomin' Night. As a result, Birdstriking's 13-track album serves both as an amalgam and a time capsule to the club's overall sound.

Leaning heavily on the vernacular of Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, the band rallies around indie rock idioms such as strained vocals, two-meter deep guitar tracks and unbridled youth.　

Considering the experimental side of Birdstriking, the year-old recording released only last month is already showing its age. If you've ever seen the band live, guitarist He Fan's sounds are quite different from show-to-show, and much like He's newest project, Deadly Cradle Death, every performance is a gamble.

However, the sounds committed to mp3 are more considerate of the sonic spectrum than any night at D-22.

Produced and engineered by Yang Haisong, frontman for post punk band and labelmates P.K. 14, improvised ideas are landscaped and distortions tightened, all without sacrificing Birdstriking's most prominent characteristics, such as keeping He's voice wrapped in guitars, with tracks "People's Son" and "Space Hakka" serving as testament.　

But from the snappy strumming to sing-speak vocals, the presence of what might be the "D-22 sound" is ubiquitous, and the dichotomy it creates is best felt on "Monkey Snake." The pull of Carsick Cars in the verses is undeniable, especially in the verses, but He Fan's pained vocals pop out during the choruses, standing tall among crowding influences.　

Though not a creative call to arms, Birdstriking leaves us with a solid, inoffensive ode to their birthplace. Just don't expect them to reproduce it live, as it would deny them one of their strong points: the element of surprise.