Make-Up: The Mass Mind

The D.C. band Make-Up isn't for everyone. Formed after the demise of Nation Of Ulysses, the bizarre, prolific group specializes in funky vamps and quasi-gospel outbursts courtesy of chief shouter Ian Svenonius. In fact, Svenonius' falsetto squeals are so integral to Make-Up's sound that the other three members tend to vanish behind his histrionics; watching the band play live, it's clear who is meant to be the center of attention. But the group's numerous releases don't have the benefit of a wild-haired freak hopping around like crazy, and that means the music is left to stand on its own. The authenticity of Make-Up's swamp-soul was never in question: This stuff is as fake as Tofuti. But the songs aren't without their distinct, trashy charms. When the band stumbles upon a great riff, as it does on "Live In The Rhythm Hive," "Joy Of Sound," and "Drop The Needle," Make-Up tends to play it into the ground. Of course, repetition is integral to every great garage band, from The Trashmen to The Stooges to The Cramps, and the loving attention Make-Up dedicates to its inconsequential kitsch is as endearing as the enduring racket of the group's uncountable forerunners.