''Acre Thrills'' is the fourth full-length LP by the

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

-based experimental rock quartet

U.S. Maple U.S. Maple was an American noise rock band. The group formed in Chicago in 1995. The band consists of Al Johnson (lead singer), Mark Shippy (guitarist), Pat Samson (drummer), and Todd Rittmann (guitarist). History Formation and first single U.S ...

. It was released in 2001 by Drag City. The sessions of the album's recording were documented in an accompanying by Tony Ciarrochi.

Style

Spencer Owen, writing for

Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...

, felt that this album "represents a venture into actual melody, at least more so than they've attempted before", likening the result to a "malfunctioning machine that suddenly becomes aware of its existence."

Tiny Mixtapes ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, a ...

' Tamec explained that the "closest comparison for this music is an arrhythmic

Don Caballero Don Caballero (often shortened by members as 'Don Cab') was an American instrumental rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although the band has had numerous lineup changes with co-founder Damon Che (drums and percussion) being the only cons ...

with someone moaning and gasping over top of it.". John Fail writing for Fakejazz writes that vocalist Al Johnson has "created another impenetrable mess of words, delivered in a voice that gets raspier with each record." In the film which documents the recording session, Al Johnson explains his vocal style in terms of diagrams which encircle the

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer, a ...

, with black dots representing a 'closed throat' sound (producing a rasp), whereas an unfilled dot would mean the lyric would be more traditionally 'sung'. The rest of the band attempt to explain the process of their songwriting, albeit unsuccessfully. In an article with ''Pulse Of The Twin Cities'' on the supporting tour of ''Acre Thrills'', Johnson was keen to underline the fact that U.S Maple do indeed orchestrate, as opposed to spontaneously improvising, their songs.

I just hope people know that we’re writing songs, that we’re not just up there improvising. That’s not schtick up there. It’s four people communicating.

Critical reception

Fakejazz gave the record full marks, John Fail commenting "can't think of another band today that is really progressing as much from where Beefheart began 30 years ago."

Pitchforkmedia ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...

were almost equally fulsome with praise, rewarding the album with a 91% score and the statement that "U.S. Maple have finally reached brilliance with ''Acre Thrills'', a gorgeously dangerous combination of everything they've seemed to strive for that now makes them imperfectly perfect." David Berman of

Silver Jews Silver Jews were an American indie rock band from New York City, formed in 1989 by David Berman alongside Pavement members Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich. Berman was the only constant band member. During the last few albums, Cassie Berman ...

ranked the record in his top five of 2001.

Track listing

All tracks written by US Maple.

Personnel

References

{{Authority control 2001 albums U.S. Maple albums Drag City (record label) albums