Does Excavacations imply an anachronistic approach based on some cultural archeology? If so, the name is appropriate. Listening to their work is like relishing a favorite dish not often served up today. Any attempt at pinpointing their genre simply provides a number of insufficient categorical handles: progressive, indie, space, pop, ambient, rock, even new age. By degrees, their historical purveyors are largely European artists who first brought synth and guitar together in the studio or theatre, either in front of or without vocals, paintings or light shows (Ever actually see Lazarium at the observatory?).

So, what to make of Excavacations? Are they a pop band? Perhaps, except they spend more time droning out and embedding weird sounds into extended soundscapes before delivering infectious payloads loaded with hooks. Are they drone? If so, this is the catchiest drone group you’ll ever hear. Are they rock? Maybe — they rock hard at times but not often. Are they bad spellers? Probably (don’t miss that extra ‘ca’ in the name). But if we live in a post-post-everything world, then Excavacations is simply music for the 21st century.

The duo’s work has been published via their own collective imprint, The Offices of Moore & Moore, Michael Jantz’s Avant Archive, Chicago’s Paramita Recordings, as well as on the now legendary Stunned Records. Tracks from these releases were re-worked, along with some new ones, for the CD Object Permanence on Weird Forest Records, in preparation for Excavacations' new LP for the label.

WesWes & Matt Mars (Thee Emblem) cassette tape recording. outside art. artifact band.

fuzzy memories and dry mouth. the fields were burning with red stars. sonic beams caved our skulls, we crave the return of the roman empire. and destruction of all public school. abusive feedback to penetrate the voices in yr head. we get you alone to shave you head.

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