Self Destruct Button – Natural Selection of Accidents (Tower Control, 2006)
(This originally appeared in the Cleveland Free Times)
What is the difference between noise and art? Probably, Self-Destruct Button doesn’t embark on Natural Selection of Accidents to answer that question, but they end up commenting on it in a roundabout manner. This one question has been on the minds of those that possess and those that fake intellect for years. And a number of tracks on this noisy album weigh in. “Comparing Cancers” for some reason or another makes me think about tugboats with its’ repetitive distorted themes. Also, in some ways, this track sets the tone for the following seven numbers. Even having said this, the bands most refined statements of their sound and style come in the form of “Universal Adapter” and “Deaf Porn Star”. The first track simply has multiple ideas or themes that the band encounters and moves through with straight ahead hard drumming. The later track, most probably situated at the end of the album for a reason, starts off as pretty straight forward metal. The vocals, when present are horribly distorted and difficult to decipher due to being pushed down relatively far in the mix. Most impressive and promising is the groups’ ability to grind out a bizarre funk in the forms of “Mail Bomb” and “Sandy Hands”. Again, not a traditional funk, but funk through the veils of Zappa and years of listening to metal. Self Destruct Button can easily do one thing well; play noisy rock while honoring punk and metal. But, they also can summon the funk while deviating from its’ mold to incorporate more absurdist notions of music.
