It's almost as if Trans Am are trying to sneak something by all of us with their latest release. Sex Change doesn't come pre-packaged with some elaborate theme wrapped in an unclear fantasy/reality plot, and that's actually a good thing. For probably the first time since Surrender to the Night, Trans Am are simply a rock band of three guys who like to have fun making fun music.

 

Thrill Jockey

The band isn't covering any new ground here but I'm not let down. The most intense instrumental rock-outs (like "Shining Path" and the closer "Triangular Pyramid") come late on the record but are such brilliant and powerful releases.  Sebastian's fantastic drumming is performed frantically over the upbeat numbers with long held synth notes as on "Exit Management Solution," and he goes balls -out over the more in-your-face guitar rock tunes like "Conspiracy Strategies." "Obsene Strategies," on the other hand, sounds like the proverbial '80s nod; this one could easily be a song cut from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. Those who fear that the band's vocoder is getting dusty, rest assured it makes an appearance on "Climbing Up the Ladder." If there's anything new from the band, it's probably the hypnotic newly obtained vintage-sounding sequencer, which launches the album's opener, "First Words."

Trans Am aren't looking to win any awards with Sex Change, and I doubt it will end up on any critics' lists for "best of '07." They do have their own sound, however, a sound that has been established over the course of more than ten years and eight full-length albums. They show it off well and with Sex Change they have potentially released their least offensive album in a long time, ie: the people have very little to bitch about with this record.