CD REVIEW: STS9 "Ad Explorata"

STS9 keep on reinventing themselves while still remaining true to their core character as an old school jam band. Boldly diving into the 21st century, STS9 is amongst the very few jam bands able to harness the power of electronic music and perform it as a live band. On their latest album, and frankly their most future-forward, the band channels the energy usually displayed during their live sets. The album has both the feel of a live show and a DJ set, with each song being displayed as a sonic work of art. Nothing holds this band back as the syncopated drumming, haunting keyboards, and rhythmic guitars in each and every song tell a story without the use of lyrics. The most precious masterpieces contained within this album are "Looking Back On Earth," "EHM," and "Oil & Water," all of which, and at different moments, could have been performed by the Grateful Dead or the Chemical Brothers. With the new indie movement leaning towards electronic rock, and bands like Animal Collective and Passion Pit spearheading the way, STS9 is bound to garner some widespread critical success on the heels of "Ad Explorata."