& Yet & Yet (CD - 2002)

Personnel: Tamara Williamson (vocals); Brian Cram (horns).

Audio Mixers: Ohad Benchetrit; Charles Spearin.

Recording information: Justin's Home, Queen Street; Manta DSP, Toronto, Canada.

Released in 2002, & Yet & Yet may be Do Make Say Think's most consistent -- if uninspired -- work to date. The band's thick wire-frame mesh of Dave Mitchell's sub-pattern drumming and the remaining members' perched Labradford-like arrangements admirably survived the growing dismissal of post-rock and non-electronic experimentation. A sad, engagingly muddled keyboard, for example, bubbles to the surface of scraped bass and guitar in "Chinatown," while "End of Music" returns to a rumbling anxiety that recalls the sophistication of a pre-grunge era. Owing itself to past accomplishments proved to be its only failing. Much of this music was dry, over-determined. Long sequences were built on a series of predictable elements of suspense. With & Yet & Yet, Do Make Say Think seemed to be refining its sound, but intellectually so, leaving many of the band's interesting flaws behind. ~ Dean Carlson minimize