Greyhound

"THIS IS A REAL GOD DAMN EMERGENCY!!" shouts Steve Albini to close Excellent Italian Greyhound's opening track "The End of Radio." A warning that caps off sarcastic platitudes like "Can you hear me now?", "That drum roll means we've got a winner!", and "I'd like to thank our sponsors," the line's unnerving insistence is a reminder of Albini's simple, yet commanding language. Often ushered into dark corners with other furrowed musicians pumping their fists and directing anger toward a faceless opponent, Shellac are in fact purveyors of a strand of staunch politicism that's as funny as it is critical. The commentaries are biting and the sarcasm is snide, but save for the darker musical signifiers, their lyrical conviction is usually dressed in a garb of humor and playfulness.