Though the noodled notes on “Cardboard Cutout Robot Victim Hero Children” could just as easily point to U2 or Thirteenth Step-era A Perfect Circle as to Red Sparowes, in the context of Laura‘s soundscape-ready post-rock, I’d gear it far toward the latter. The Australian six-piece doesn’t shy away from throwing in a heavy riff or thick bassline, but about half of the Yes Maybe No EP on Elevation Recordings — limited to 2,000 CD copies — is dedicated solely toward ambience. Not a problem if you don’t mind your post-rock with emphasis on the former rather than the latter.

There are three “songs” on Yes Maybe No, and an accompanying three shorter atmospheric pieces, “Z.I.B. 1,” “Z.I.B. 2” and – wait for it – “Z.I.B. 3.” As parts two and three of this cryptic trilogy are right next to each other, one leading from “Cardboard Cutout Robot Victim Hero Children” into the next which immediately precedes 14-minute feedback opus closer “Another One for the Humans,” they could have easily been put together as one track and I suspect it’s purely for reasons of artistic license that they weren’t. If it’s to be the three “Z.I.B.” tracks vs. the other two and opening cut “Bobik is in America,” then fine; it all flows together anyway.

Read more »