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To be completely honest, I found Tyondai Braxton’s involvement in Battles to be distracting save for one major aspect; the band’s live performance was indebted to his presence. Without Braxton -- whose vocals were re-recorded and cued up on samplers, which served as a sort of weird jab to Braxton – the current trio isn’t much to watch, though the verve of Battles’ music might be stronger and more enticing than ever.