At the Drive-In was: Tony, Jim, Paul, Cedric, and Omar. As accomplished as they became after ATDI’s 2001 split, This Station Is Non-Operational really makes you miss the focused intensity of the band’s salad days. This hits and rarities retrospective is chronological, moving from “Fahrenheit” and “Picket Fence Cartel” off 1997′s Gran Orgo through to selections from their 2000 swan song Relationship of Command. Remixes, covers, 7″ singles, and a BBC session follow; the guitar tone in their 1998 version of “This Night Has Opened My Eyes” matches the Smiths’ perfectly. There’s a great dynamic between “Chanbara” and “Lopsided,” both from In Casino Out. “Chanbara” is taut, and full of spirited lyrics and periodic explosions; it’s provides the definition of 1990′s post-hardcore. But while “Lopsided” also has that tension, it’s much closer to the austerity and melody of indie rock. Because of where ATDI went after their breakup — in particular Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez with the elemental, furiously improvisational the Mars Volta — it’s easy to forget about At the Drive-In’s capacity for convention. Their spectacular live show was a big part of their success. But as This Station Is Non-Operational continually points out, At the Drive-In wrote incredible songs, too. Vaya’s “198d” is an honest-to-God ballad, and “Rascuache” (from the same EP) appears here in remix form, a dubby, electronics-addled version dating from a 1999 7″ on Buddyhead/Grand Royal. “One Armed Scissor” was At the Drive-In’s most well-known song; it’s responsible for this anthology’s title, and is no less incendiary here. Other This Station Is Non-Operational standouts: “Autorelocator”‘s hissing, faraway synths, and the appropriately psych rock cover of Pink Floyd’s “Take Up They Stethoscope and Walk” that closes the set. (This Station Is Non-Operational also included a DVD with videos, a full discography, and multimedia content.) – Johnny Loftus
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