** Poster Children

NEW WORLD RECORD

(spinART)

Although few rock musicians affiliated with indie labels will cop to it, their dream situation is to procure a major's bucks and head into a glitzy studio with a big-time producer. Poster Children accomplished this years ago, emerging from their modest beginnings in Champaign, Illinois, to sign with Reprise, work with vaunted names like Steve Albini, and record extremely polished albums. Over five years, they released a flurry of respectable works that barely registered outside the rock-lovin' fan base that frequented the band's sparklingly frenetic live shows. After a surprising run and continued mediocre sales, it was inevitable that the pride of Champaign would move on -- either splitting up or heading back to an indie, tails lodged firmly between their legs.

Ever defiant, the quartet have re-emerged on New York's spinART with a self-produced, home-recorded collection that maintains the blistering intensity of past efforts. New World Record is about as straightforward as they come, packing grooves, buzzing guitars, and adenoidal vocals into each three-minute burst. The band forgo hooks and catchy melodies -- and thus instant accessibility -- for a harnessing of raw power and a compositional edginess akin to Gang of Four's artful punk. It's admirable, and after several listens quite engaging, but the most impressive quality may be Poster Children's will to survive.

-- Richard Martin