Is there anybody in the world that doesn't know about US exploitation 
of Native Americans? Didn't Neil Young and Marlon Brando teach everybody 
about all that 35 years ago? Apparently not, since Roto takes up the 
torch where the elder statesmen left off with their very first track. I 
find the political effort to be annoying at best - it seems to me that 
todays generation of musicians do a piss poor job at pedagogy. This may 
be because it is a rare band that doesn't come across as posturing 
cred-mongers. Even worse are the regional "scenes".


Roto has sprung from one of these regional talent fountains - Washington 
DC. Members of Q and not U joined up with a number of other scenesters 
with a vision. Yes, a DC supergroup with a concept. I only vaguely 
understand the concept, but it apparently has to do with switching 
drummers all the time and singing with a minimum of emotional expression. 
At least I can rest easy tonight in the knowledge that none of the band 
members invested too much work in the record - they all sound lax, dull, 
and disinterested. The band's condition is contagious, since I can feel 
my eyes glazing over as I listen.


It might not be so bad if there weren't fully seventeen Low Power Hour 
tracks to trudge through. It feels like more than one Hour, although the 
record actually clocks in at only 52 minutes. I cherish that remaining 
eight minutes, since it is the only part of the Low Power Hour that I will 
ever see again.