I finally picked this disc up around the time I saw them play at Lemp a few months back (it might've even been at the show for all I remember).  Chain and the Gang's debut is relatively minimalist rock with as much footing in R&B as it does in punk and indie formats.  What arises from this are often bass groove heavy songs that look at progress, classism, reparations, cavemen as metaphor for relationships, and the like delivered with a mix of acerbic hooks and often stripped down song approaches that seem deceptively simple but reveal more than they let on during the first listen.  It's sometimes absurdist, a little out of left field but by deconstructing musical mores, Chain and the Gang help create an album that manages to stand apart from most of both mainstream and indie music circles, growing on the listener in the process.  If you're even remotely curious, pick this up and find out for yourself.  (BOONE)

(K Records.  Box 7154. Olympia, WA 98507. krecs.com)