Memory Gag Radio Demo V.0.1a is a teaser (new full-length out soon!) of 4fodder's honest, demo-style work -- the kind of lo-fi songs that immediately recall Bleach era Nirvana in the days before the '90s homogenized the scene and slapped it on a Pepsi can. Troy Harris's vocals reflect the sneering-yet-nonchalant aesthetic that defined that era, capably navigating and matching the soft/loud dynamic. "Grass Stains" is the band at their heaviest, dipping into the netherworld of Sabbath-heavy grooves, Harris holding down bass, lead and rhythm duties from a single axe while drummer Chad James (recently switched from bass as the band became a duo) creates a tense introduction through booming tom-tom work.

The addition of sampler is an interesting touch, and although the band is certainly in their larval stage with this technology (i.e. 2001 and Matrix sound clips), they exploit what they know, pointing listeners to their home page and naming the title of the current song via a lovely computer-generated Brit.

Printing the word "fodder" on your CD and stapling it in a piece of scrap paper is probably not the best presentation to send beyond your close circle of friends, but 4fodder's package reflects their product: raw, unassuming and fiercely independent. When you've made music this compelling, appearance is merely masturbation.