Eldridge Rodriguez - This Conspiracy Against Us

Sometime last year I wrote a small piece on Boston noise-rockers The Beatings and their last record Holding on to Hand Grenades, which I was really impressed with. Well, I’ve been lucky enough to receive the solo offering from Beatings/La Faccia Brutta member Eldridge Rodriguez, who is dubbed as just E.R. on his record This Conspiracy Against Us.

Rodriguez is joined here on the album by his backing band The New Jerseys, who is made up of members Willie Dale Scales (Spanish Armada), Greg Lyons (Spanish Armada, The Pending Disappointment), Dan Parlin, and Kamiko Darrow (La Faccia Brutta). With help from this group, Rodriguez is able to construct some fascinating and fractured noise-pop. Rodriguez has taken the most intimate aspects of being a singer/songwriter and basically made it into a much more personal and upfront issue. As hinted at in the press release, this album is all about being unhappy with everything that surrounds you, from bad relationships all the way to just being completely fed up with others unjustified artistic merit. It seems as if Rodriguez had some things that he undoubtedly wanted to get off his chest and This Conspiracy Against Us is where he absolutely lets loose.

One of the most interesting things about this record is getting to hear Rodriguez’s lyrics, which are completely raw and at times in your face. You don’t necessarily get to see that side of him in The Beatings, or at least you don’t get to notice it as much when those lyrics are being screamed over a bunch of crashing distortion. Here though, Rodriguez is able to take them and make it a very valuable tool to the albums overall success.

E.R. – Stillborn in New Jersey [MP3]
E.R. – This Conspiracy Against Us [MP3]

I recommend anyone who is interested in hearing music that is brutally honest or is just simply a fan of The Beatings to check this album out. It’s a very solid solo effort. This Conspiracy Against Us will be released officially on February 27th, however it can be pre-order now over at Midriff Records. Check it out!