Oneida – Rated O

In 1848, a man called John Humphrey Noyes founded the Oneida Community, a small religious cult who believed that the Lord Jesus Christ had already returned to Earth a few short years after his death, making it possible, apparently, for them to achieve some form of Earthly perfection. Within the cult, every male was married to every female, with sexual relations being equally as open. Young boys were encouraged into the way of life by postmenopausal women, to reduce the risk of pregnancy while the boys practised, by means of contraception, intercourse without ejaculation. By this means accidental pregnancies were largely avoided in the cult. Noyes himself would induct young girls into his cult, eventually leading to his arrest and imprisonment on the charge of statutory rape. The community then became one of the largest silverware companies in the world. Silverware. CUTLERY.Okay, so, Oneida - the band - have quite the legacy to live up to. Thing is, I’m not quite sure which is more difficult to come to terms with: the story of the Oneida Community, or the band’s latest album, Rated O. Calling it “difficult” would really be an understatement. Even Radiohead producing a triple album might be hard to deal with, but it’s not just that it’s a triple album, it’s a triple Oneida album. Anyone who’s not listened before, Oneida sound like what Liars would sound like if every member had a stroke. And was blindfolded. They’ve never been an easy band to listen to, let alone to enjoy, but given time and attention their songs tend to grow out, reveal new depths and if nothing else, artistically merit-able. Their last “album”, Preteen Weaponry, a single forty minute song in three movements, isn’t something I’m ever going to cherish listening to, but it’s at least a pleasing experiment, something I gave the chance to prove itself, and it sort of did.The problem with Rated O is just that, though - I don’t really even know how to give it a chance. After three discs and nearly two hours, all I need is a nap. It’s exhausting, confusing, and ultimately, just not that engaging. Never an act to shy away from pushing boundaries, they must be just about the only band on the planet who are only ever completely out of their comfort zone when they appear to be in it; constant evolution is a way of life for Oneida. But in constantly redefining themselves on their own terms, they don’t give the casual fan a chance, unless you’re one of the small number of Oneida’s hardcore fan cult, it feels like constantly playing catch-up. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that, no-one is under artistic obligation to make music that appeals to anyone but themselves, but as a reviewer, an arbiter of taste and decency and what’s worth listening to, it’s shamefully difficult to recommend this. The real audience for this album is Oneida themselves. And unless you are a member of the band, or a long-time fan, this is far from their most accessible, in what is already a deliberately esoteric back catalogue.Rated O is part two of a trilogy of albums titled “Thank Your Parents”, with Preteen Weaponry representing part one. Part three is due next year, and could, maybe, shed some light on what the hell’s going on here. It could be that the trilogy becomes the greatest ever musical statement about growing up, about why you should thank your parents. With a band like Oneida you can never quite be sure where they’re gonna go next. They’re one of the few bands who could even get away with releasing a triple album, and very few could release one and not risk being completely shot down for it. It remains to be seen whether this experiment is seen as a success or failure by posterity, but one thing is sure - whoever listens to this will be waiting, waiting, waiting, for the final instalment of the trilogy, just to see where they go next. 60%Oneida on MySpace