...a real winner of an album.
author: Aiding and Abetting
A fine little three-piece, Choking Ahogo plays fine little rock songs. Nothing complicated or particularly unusual. Except, of course, that the stuff is really good. I guess the easiest way to describe the sound would be to call it muscular, refined indie rock. There's a nice bit of heft in the guitars, and the production is subtle and of a remarkably high quality. Little things stand out, like the way the instruments are blended in the mix. Each is distinct, but there's still a nice bit of blending as well. This doesn't sound like much, but you'd surprised how hard it is to accomplish. The same goes for the songwriting, which takes on a number of different ideas and manages to make them all sound like Choking Ahogo. Again, this is a subtle trick, but the end result is a real winner of an album. A lot of little things add up to something great here.
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author: Austin Chronicle
Action Figure (track 5) - Two irresistible minutes of melodic punk turmoil and an object lesson in why the spirit of Zen Arcade will never die.
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Once Choking Ahogo has you in its grip, it won't let you go.
author: F5 Magazine
If at first you don't like Choking Ahogo, try, try again. An amalgamation of Hüsker Dü, old R.E.M., Guided By Voices and a dash or two of the likes of Matthew Sweet, this Texas-based trio give us a series of well-crafted, power-driven tracks that prove catchy once they've seeped deep into your psyche.
The hypnotic harmonies of Peter Wagner (who plays cool, floaty Peter Buck guitar lines, often topping them off with Bob Mould-style persistent jackhammer strumming) and Bryan Ray make for a paradisiacal treat, while Ray's booming, slick bass lines and Chris Stutsman's powerful beats propel songs such as the Beatlish "Spring Reverb" and "Throaty V" (as good a Hüsker Dü homage as any out there). Not that Radars and Maps is all about drive, drive, drive. Witness the slow, eerie ballad "Deep Little Bee Sting" with its unsettling, spacey vocals and lyrics than can best be described as odd ("I'll set a trap to catch me the answer/Leave the door open wide").
Of course, such elements are just part of the charm. And, as with R.E.M. it's not as much about what's being said as how cool it sounds. Once Choking Ahogo has you in its grip, it won't let you go.
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...another great album by a talented band from Austin
author: Indie Workshop
You’ve probably heard of people being able to write with both hands, simultaneously and in two different languages, well, Peter Wagner does this with music. Taking the guitar from rhythm to lead and back again while singing and making it sound effortless is something to be recognized.
With tones similar to that of Peter Gabriel and Cat Stevens, Wagner sings stream of consciousness style and never falters. His offbeat delivery never trips up the tight rhythms pounded out by bassist Bryan Ray and drummer Chris Stutsman. From “throaty v” with its Jimmy Eat World pop punk aesthetics and guitar chug to the reverb laden and country/surf influenced “deep little bee sting” Choking Ahogo display an impressive range that is never inconsistent. Chalk this one up as another great album by a talented band from Austin. Just don’t ignore it like you did the others.
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