*** Trans Am

RED LINE

(Thrill Jockey)

Red Line is an appetizing sampler plate of post-rock experiments. The DC band's fifth release -- sixth if you count the rarities collection You Can Always Get What You Want -- serves up 21 disparate tracks in a little over 70 minutes, so even if you don't like what the trio do on one track, there's another completely different experiment right around the corner. You get interstellar techno atmospherics, muscular tribal-esque drum patterns, Kraftwerk-style techno-pop, and a few guitar-driven tunes. Indeed, several tracks recall Neil Young's failed stab at krautronica (his Trans album), right down to their obnoxious overuse of vocoder. And though Trans Am are mainly an instrumental act, one-third of Red Line features vocals -- but they're just another sonic element to be added to the mix of styles.

-- Patrick Bryant