REVIEWS FOR OCTOBER!

It has been a wild last few months.  I've traveled everywhere, seen tons of shows, done lots of stuff and now that summer is over and fall is kicking in I am moving across the country, so truly, there is no rest for the wicked.  And now that that crazy moving sale I had is over I can leave readers with this- a batch of reviews covering probably the best couple of months this year so far for new music before I bail out.  I tend to be someone who favors spotlighting new bands that I find interesting, rather than pining for the past.  But I have to say, several reunion bands made some pretty excellent music worth talking about.  And, of course, Unsane never broke up, they just went on pause for a few years and have come back to remind you why they own heavy, mean-spirited music.

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BIG HUSH, “Spirit/ Wholes”

People from Pygmy Lush go for broke with a variety of songs that collects two separate EPs onto one record.  The first half evokes heavy-duty shoegaze vibes with wispy male/female vocals, like Swervedriver meets the Breeders.  “Cold Shoulder” sounds like the whole song is going in reverse, and sounds more like an experiment in writing a cool song and trying out bizarre effects pedals.  “Cough”, strangely enough rips the first riff from “Iron Man” and then turns it into a lackadaisical jam that could have been a B-side on “Last Splash”.  Opener “Soft Eyes” is the standout song on the whole record with it’s more upbeat tempo and catchy lead, and it goes right into another very upbeat song (“Pay To Play”) that keeps things moving along.  However, once you move into the second half of the album (or, second EP), “Wholes”, it’s a far more restrained affair, considerably mellower, but almost as enjoyable.  There’s a bit more of a twangy element to it and focused a bit more on the vocal interplay…  almost, dare I say, alt-country (yuck, what a weird-sounding term).  Still, I really like it.  So I definitely think people who like Pygmy Lush will really love this as well, even though it is a bit different than that.  (Robotic Empire)

BURN, “Do Or Die”

I heard that first single from this record and was pretty turned off.  It was not very good.  Luckily, that’s the one clunker on this record.  It’s not that it’s even a terrible song; it just has a few too many parts that don’t work all that well together.  But for those looking for “Shall Be Judged” over and over again look elsewhere.  It’s been over 25 years, if these guys didn’t change somewhat in that time than I’d say they haven’t grown much as humans, which is kind of sad.  Yet what remains the same is the fact that Chaka has the energy of a teenager, Gavin Van Vleck continues to write some of the most forward-thinking hardcore/noise/inventive riffs around, and that new rhythm section is still as tight as anyone the group have had in their ranks in the past.  For those who truly pine for times past I’d say a good half of the record retains some of that faster, strangely melodic, and weirdly aggressive hardcore that the band is known for…  just recorded much better and bigger.  Two old songs have been re-recorded, but they feel really unnecessary since they both sound fine in their original forms.  And then you get a few songs that work in a new and different way, and a couple that don’t work all that well.  All in all, for a band that has, in a way, re-invented themselves two decades later (despite the handful of reunions over the years) they’re pulling it off pretty good I’d say.  Heck, the packaging on this sucker is worth the price alone.  If you end up not enjoying this you can just stare at it for hours with how ridiculously awesome it looks.  (Deathwish)

CLOAKROOM, “Time Well”

I’ve really been looking forward to this one and I have to say I’m pretty pleased.  It’s kind of a grower because it’s lacking some of that instant gratification (which is a relative term considering the rather glacial pace this band’s songs tend to flow) that was present on songs like “Moon Funeral” and “Starchild Skull” from their last LP, “Further Out”.  Still, those tones remain ridiculously awesome and sludgy as all get out while the shoegaze-y melodies throw an atmospheric haze over the whole thing.  Additionally, this record plays around a little more with some otherworldly psychedelic songs that have an almost Pink Floyd-ish aura to them (“Hymnal” and “Sickle Moon Blues”).  The entire first half of the record stays a little closer to what people sort of expect, at this point, from Cloakroom and they do so quite fantastically.  “Big World” and “Concrete Gallery” tend to be the best examples of this and contain some of the slowest, heaviest, riff-iest moments on the entire record.  Plus, unlike “Further Out” where it didn’t quite feel like a full length exactly due to some interludes passing for full songs, “Time Well” is almost a whole hour of music with not a single dud on the whole record.  So, hat’s off to them.  I think I personally may be a little more partial to a couple of my favorite songs from the last LP, but this is certainly a worthwhile follow-up. (Relapse)

METZ, “Strange Peace”

Heck yeah, Metz.  I’d like to think they have matured in a sense, or tried some new things on this record.  Aside from it not being named “III”, that’s not really the case.  It’s just another pile of amazing, total hearing-devastating, non-stop crazy noise rock gems.  They rolled with Albini to record this one and most would say he’s a master at capturing a band’s live sound.  Well, this record sounds fucking amazing, huge, and dirgy, like there’s some studio magic going on.  But I’m guessing that this is just what all these songs sound exactly like live.  There’s still plenty of weird guitar effects (the opening riff on “Drained Lake” being a good example), catchy garage rock on speed (lead single “Cellophane”), some strange interlude-like creepy melodic songs (like “Sink” and “Caterpillar”), and absolute rippers (“Dig a Hole”, “Mr. Plague”).  I think my favorite song here, though, is the mid-way point “Lost In the Blank City”- it’s relatively slow, massive heave and gigantic riffs just lure you right in for 4 and a half minutes of bliss.  Metz have just really nailed it.  Not only are they one of the most electrifying live bands in the world right now but they manage to pull the grungy aesthetic of Nirvana, the strange inventiveness of Drive Like Jehu, a metric ton of nervous tension/anxiety, and a wild catchiness that goes unmatched.  (Sub Pop)

MODERN PSYCHICS, "Paid Vacation Time" demo

After the split of Albany’s weirdo crunchy post-hardcore band Throat Culture a couple of the members have re-emerged as Modern Psychics, who have a decidedly far less hardcore sound to them.  However, there are tidbits of their writing style present, such as vocalist Seth Eggleston’s raspy shout.  But the music takes a turn for faster beats and catchier riffs.  The band certainly pines for some Wipers-style garage punk, yet I think they lean a little dirtier, slightly heavier.  Regardless, it’s a fun debut and I feel like they’re onto something cool with this so hopefully they keep it up. (Modern Psychics)

THOUGHTS OF IONESCO, “Skar Cymbals”

Reunions abound everywhere.  I tend to be interested when bands that were absolutely crushing, but severely underrated in their time come back years later when no one outside of their immediate hometown remember them because they really have nothing to prove by making a return.  There’s really no pressure.  Thoughts Of Ionesco are one of those bands.  Hailing from Detroit they released a handful of records between the late 90’s and early ought’s before totally imploding from their own insanity.  I saw them once and it was one of the most visceral and threatening things ever, how these three individuals could so outright hate the world and themselves while still ripping some weird, ugly melding of hardcore, noise rock, prog and jazz improvisations…  like if “Hard Volume”-era Rollins Band did cheap drugs and worshipped both Miles Davis and Dazzling Killmen.  It hurts to listen to, like in a good way.  And then you wonder how the fuck they pulled off that drum fill and Voivod-esque fret run while screaming like someone’s shoving forks in their eyes.  So yeah, a dozen years or so pass and they just up and decide to record a few more songs and play a single show.  That’s the way to do it.  And I gotta say, the three tracks on the A-side of this slab do a pretty good job of reminding you all why Ionesco was nothing to fuck with.  This material fits in perfectly with anything from “And Then There Was Motion” to “For Detroit, From Addiction”.  The B-side, on the other hand, is the band getting weirder than ever.  It’s a single 13 minute track that is kind of broken into 4 parts that range from an improv jam, to a sort of spaghetti Western sort of dusty, bluesy thing, to shoehorning a re-recording of “… And None Were Human” (arguably their most well-known song) randomly in there, and back to some strange noise experiment.  I don’t really get why that was done in that way, or why they re-recorded that one song, but it’s not my place to attempt to understand.  All I know is this is a seriously weird and violent, yet astoundingly talented band that deserves your attention.  (Corpse Flower)

UNSANE, “Sterilize”

It’s an Unsane record, what do you think I’m going to say?  My love for this band is about as predictable as the guarantee that this will be louder and meaner than just about anything else you hear this year.  Unsane have never relented in their mission to be violent, grimy, and unpleasant to your eardrums.  They may take several years between albums and tours, but they always eventually come back to do more damage and their consistency in delivering quality records never ceases to amaze me.  Now what I say next may sound disparaging, but I mean it in the most sincere way- you could take any of the last four Unsane albums and make a mix and you would swear it was all the same album.  That’s really not a bad thing because every one of the songs on this, and those previous albums, are great.  Unsane kind of write the same song over and over but it’s a really good song, so I have no complaints.  Their earlier material, especially from “Total Destruction” to the landmark “Scattered, Smothered, and Covered”, and onto “Occupational Hazard” showed true evolution of the band where you could hear how they slowly honed in on recording and production techniques to truly capture their sound adequately.  They also played with different tempos more on those records with some glacially slow pummeling songs (“Get Off My Back”), as well as upbeat, faster songs (“Committed”).  But once they got to albums like “Blood Run” they tended to settle into a tempo that has worked for them and a recording style that captured them perfectly and they have rode that wave ever since.  And it’s damn good.  “Sterilize” continues this tradition, particularly on lead single “Aberration”, the slow and violent swing of “Lung”, and the crawling swell-and-crush of closer “Avail”.  Drummer Vinny Signorelli never overcomplicates things, making sure the beat is steady and the bludgeoning is precise.  Dave Curran has a better bass tone than just about anyone and uses it to drag his sludgy riffs through muck and through your dang face.  Chris Spencer is the serrated knife, chopping through the guts with bluesy riffs, stabbing jolts, and gigantic gouges across the songs; his voice a static howl blasting spit and sweat at anyone in the front three rows.  They know what the fuck they’re doing and have been doing it better than anyone for close to 30 years at this point. Unsane never fail to disappoint and that’s why they are the forever undisputed kings of noise rock.  Bow down, so your head doesn’t get blown clean off.  (Southern Lord)