Minus CD Review by Shawn Mediaclast, Sonar Map # 2, reprinted by permission.
Whooooa... Heavy percussion and guitar-based improv that contains the vitality and groove of hardcore punk and the unpredictability of the freest jazz. This music fluctuates dynamically on every level, and brings out the best in all the members of Minus: Mark France on guitar and electronics, Dave Trenkel on bass, prepared bass and electronics, and Henry Franzoni on drums. Few guitar-based bands dare to take the plunge that Minus has. And what comes out of it is a non-ego-driven hardcore interaction amongst the players that that really fucks rock up. A Corvallis-based band, these guys are right in our backyard! Minus has a multiplicity of musical influences, and that's probably one of the reasons their music is so refreshing. With a swank bassline and shuffling electronic action, "Dub" does what its name suggests. As you get deeper into this CD, the improvisation gets denser and denser. With the ordering of the tracks, it's almost as if Trenkel and France are easing us into this cavernous soundscape. And they sure hooked me! That was the best ride a CD's taken me on in a while! Experience the drama of a Fugazi, the guts of a Hendrix, and the spontaneity of a William Hooker. Get with Minus, and start improvising, punk!