In the Grips of the Light\nRacebannon\nSecretly Canadian\nRacebannon's live show -- a chaotic maelstrom of grinding guitars, turntable noise and the singular, shambolic stage presence of singer Mike Anderson -- is certainly one of the more intense concert experiences in Bloomington. But fans might have some doubts about how well they can translate their visceral live sound into a compact disc. Those fans can rest assured. In the Grips of the Light, the Bloomington band's second full-length album (and first for local label Secretly Canadian), shoves you to the ground in its opening seconds, then proceeds to kick you in the gut over the course of its 50 minutes. And that's meant in a good way.\nFor those not familiar with Racebannon, the local band takes hardcore as its starting point, throws in a little speed metal and a dash of grindcore, and then explodes every convention of those genres on its way to something totally unique. The songs stretch up to 11 minutes, ebbing and flowing into spacy, abstract guitar noise before snapping back into a tight thrash that can get even the mildest indie kids attempting to headbang.\nRecorded in Nebraska by indie knob-twiddler Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, The Faint), In the Grips of the Light lets you enjoy the Racebannon experience from the comfort of your easy chair. All the elements that make a night with the band are here -- only unlike your average club PA, the album's sound is remarkably clear, revealing layers and elements of the band's sound hitherto indistinguishable. \nThis album is loud, confrontational and maybe not for everyone (who would have thought a Captain Beefheart cover could be an album's most accessible moment?). The inclusion of the lyric sheet might have been solely to prove that Anderson isn't just making up strange noises as he goes along. But if you're a fan of the band and are tired of waiting weeks in between their local live appearances, In the Grips of the Light should be more than enough to tide you over.\n
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