I nearly crapped my pants the first time I put this CD in the player. Pound WI sounds EX-fucking-ACTLY like some guys I knew in high school who were in a band called MAG. There are a few differences in the choruses and some of the breakdowns but otherwise this record walks right down the line of MAG; midwestern kids influenced equally by the Seattle era of the early 90s and the dischordant DC sound of the late 80s.

I guess I should mention that I still listen to my old MAG cassettes on occasion and that I don't find it as uncool as most to be influenced by what we all listened to a few years ago. Pound WI don't really do anything original but the pools of influence they draw from leave them with a much harder and more abrasive sound than most which does actually stand out of the crowd. It should also be noted that Pound does a great grunged-out version of Prince's "When Doves Cry" that will make it onto at least one mix tape and the album ends with someone snoring. I like this record, although likely more for the nostalgia that it invokes than the music itself, and I like Pound WI simply because they aren't doing what everyone else is. If you want something other than the Get Up Kids wanna be wuss pop that is flooding modern rock, there should be enough pound in Pound WI to satisfy you.

On a recent drive home my housemate actually drove through Pound, Wisconsin on Highway 141. Interesting.

True to its Midwestern origins, Pound WI stands proud with one foot in the lurching, feedback-laden crunch of Tar and Shellac, and the other planted in the subdued introspection of emo-core. It's a rich combination, though ironically, it may be this very duality keeping the Madison, Wis., trio from finding its niche on a national scale. If there's justice in the indie world, I've Got a Terrible Secret is the album to finally carry this band to the next level. The disc begins with the infectious "Electrons and Paper," a Nirvana-esque blast of rock glory with hooks galore. Then comes the silent thunder of "Oncology," a dramatic dissection of self at home on any Slint record — it's really that good. The boys of Pound WI have proven their years in service to the indie rock dream have been very well-spent.

Hard-edged but hardly hard-core, Pound WI have morphed into an entirely different entity after abandoning the stop-start assault they'd inherited from Chicago noise-rock heroes Big Black and Tar. Now moodier and, at times, rather metallic, the local veterans have embraced the chest-clutching emotionalism long favored by the shy-boy side of indie. That won't please noise-rockers, who continue to set great stock in the misanthropic power of the sneering put-down and the self-involved scream. But, hey, stasis equals creative death. On its new CD, I've Got a Terrible Secret (Flannel Jammies), singer-guitarist Russell Hall is at his best during gauzy, emotive tracks like "Oncology" and the curt instrumental "Unasked," both of which manipulate dynamics to excellent effect. His truly tortured performance on the propulsive lead cut, "Electrons and Paper," is also utterly engaging. Pound WI still pitches plenty of angst and cranks up the arrhythmic guitars from time to time, but this is a mature effort, one that bodes well for future projects.

My first memory of Pound WI, or Pound as they were called back then, is a hot, sweaty show at a local all ages venue in Madison some years back. I remember looking on while unassuming guitarist/vocalist Russell Hall and his band (which have changed lineups a few times since) treated the crowd to a very loud, intense set of noiserock.
Although today I couldn't pick out any of the songs that they played, or name any other bands on the bill, one thing is certain - they made an impression on me that has lasted to this day.

Now, with the band's new album, I've Got A Terrible Secret, I've had a chance to reacquaint myself with the band. The 11-track CD was recorded at a few different studios over the past two years (most notably, Coney Island studios here in Madison) and is marked by impressive production, solid musicianship and memorable songs.

The album starts out with "Electrons and Paper," a song with crunching guitars and powerful drumbeats compliments of Jerry McDougal. Bassist Jon Terrones adds to the strong sound of this song and the rest of the album.

It also includes a interesting take on the Artist Formerly Known as Prince's "When Doves Cry." Hall's unpolished, heartfelt vocals give this cover and the rest of the songs on the album an authentic sound that helps set the band apart from your run-of-the-mill noisecore band.

Other highlights of the album include "Something" and "Springtime in Antarctica," which both manage to meld volume, crunch and maturity.

I've Got A Terrible Secret is one of the finest local albums I've heard to date - check it out if you like your music loud yet intelligent, with the added bonus of truly talented musicians.