Do people even go to school anymore? Is that still a thing? I'm out of the loop.
Either way, here's a bunch of fun indie stuff and some fahkin' hahdcoh!!!
Everything else is friggin' busy with pieces and parts of records moving here and there and trying to keep it all sorted. Got a bunch of traveling coming up over the next couple months too so who knows, maybe I'll show up in your area.
ANXIOUS WAVE, “Live From the Poison Factory”
On a lark I decided to give this a spin and was pleasantly
surprised at what was presented by this group of punks. Right away they kick in with some
noisy-fuzzy punk rock that showed off a fair deal of melody and deft bass work
that brought forth the hooks, some times giving off a SoCal approach, but far
less polished. What sets this
apart further is having a vocalist that sounds like Rollins doing a little less
constant self-reflection and trying his hand at just a bit more range to go with
the sandpaper-shredded throat.
Things are fairly aggressive for the first few tracks until it gets to
the slower heart-puncher/tearjerker “Regards” and then throws a few tracks that
dip into 80’s postpunk like “Carnivore” and “Void Boyz” before getting back
into ugly, aggressive territory on the last pair of songs. I’m with it. This band doesn’t necessarily fall into one particular
category, but rather expresses themselves in an original way through skate
rock, post-punk, noise rock, and doses of grimey hardcore and they make it work
well. (Nefarious Industries)
DEMONS, “Swallow” EP
While the band’s name may be lacking a bit in imagination there are a whole bunch of good ideas packed into these four rippers that tear right through you like a ghost pepper enema in about seven minutes. Following up on their recently released LP I love the notion of this EP being so quick and yet full of energy that you really just want more. Whether it’s the absolute heaviest post-hardcore can get during the close of “Inauguration Day” or the Botch-esque controlled chaos of “Public Art” and the second half of “Nothing At the Bottom” Demons do a great job of mixing all that stuff with fast, abrasive hardcore and churning those styles together like so many circle pits in some decrepit living room where you know you’re never getting the security deposit back because sooner or later the landlord will figure out you’ve been hosting punk shows there for the last 5 months. (Knife Hits)
IRANIRAN, “Previously, On….”
With song titles like “Form Is Temporary, Shitiness Is Eternal” and absolutely zero vocals you can already begin to assume what this band might sound like. Yes, it’s another group playing math-y instrumental music with goofy song titles. I’m not quite sure how that became a thing, but it’s like the calling card of the most obvious serial killer in history. Whatever the case, at least IranIran (yup, one word) have the decency to give their clever math rock some cajones by funneling it through chunky sludge rock akin to the likes of Pelican, Torche, or Russian Circles, though I’ll admit it tended to meander off into less tumultuous thundering riffs during the last couple tracks and sorta lost my attention. I’ll also give them this- the artwork on this phenomenal, whatever is going on here- a person being ripped out of their skin by I’m not sure what, an old TV, or oven, or dryer? Who knows. It looks cool, it (mostly) sounds cool too. (self-released)
KISSED BY AN ANIMAL, “I Don’t Have To Explain Myself To You”
On their second LP the Brooklyn indie rockers in Kissed By Animal return with a similar sound, with some tasteful updates, as well as another eye-pleasing ultra-colorful gatefold cover that’s simply a delight to look at. They’re still on that jangly catchy power-pop tip with a big nod to Teenage Cool Kids (“Blue Skull” especially before it does a kind of psychedelic fake out ending before coming back to the main riff), but sometimes reminds me of more direct pop music like the Rentals with simple verse-chorus- verse and occasional keyboards making for some undeniably fun sounds. The record closes out with a ballad that might be out of place with most other bands of this style, but seems almost fitting for this group for reasons I cannot explain. Maybe it’s because throughout the record they work their pop hooks like earworms little by little until you get to the title track (the last one) and they’re on the verge of doo-wop mixed with the slow dance at the prom and by then you’re like ‘this makes sense. I’m with it.’ Very clever Kissed By An Animal, very clever indeed. (Handstand Records)
PERSONAL STYLE, “False Memories” and “On Fyre” 7”
This Buffalo group hits you with not one, but two, (semi) new 7” records. And at a total of four songs across them. Twenty years ago I would have seen this as completely normal, as would any person who enjoyed the 7” record format. Now, as a person who presses records in the insane hellscape that is running a label in the 2020’s, the notion of simply committing a couple songs to a 7” record seems totally batshit crazy to me. Not only does it take forever to press records, but the cost is incredibly high, even for 7”s. So when this group continually keeps tossing out various singles I have to wonder just how deep their pockets are, or if the members are immortal and time is but a blink of an eye to them. More power to them if they can pull it off, but I’d think it would just be more advantageous to save all those tunes up for a full length and get it all done at once. But I digress, I ought to talk about the music right? So Personal Style has already released a few records and this continues their tasteful post-punk/power pop rock groove. I’m putting it together that there are clearly members of the now defunct (yet attention-deserving) Mallwalkers in their ranks, but that’s really not much of a detective-like deduction seeing as about half the population of Buffalo comprised that very large group. Either way, I can hear some of that Mallwalkers thing going on, though Personal Style is more lean in their approach, taking cues from the likes of X-Ray Spex, Buzzcocks, and The Jam but with a modern flair. Enjoyable no doubt. (self-released)
SAWCHUCK, “Modern Love”
Hell yeah, just raw, super fast, and pissed off grimey hardcore. I’m in. This thing just blasts right off and it isn’t until the fourth song that they slow down at all. And even then it’s for under two minutes. And then it just gets fast again. I’d say it’s no real feat to pack 14 fast hardcore songs into less than 20 minutes, but when those songs got personality and the crazy energy just bleeds right out of the speakers, well, that’s when you know you got something good. Sawchuk do that great thing of making it absolutely clear that their unbridled live energy is translated to record. It sounds like you’re in the basement or VFW hall, or wherever with them. So if you damage your record, or speakers, or walls from jumping off your bed (or setting it on fire) blame the band for creating the false illusion you’re at a show they’re playing. Also, how dare they write a song that’s over two minutes long, even if it’s a closer. (Dropping Bombs)
WOORMS, “Fatalismo”
I get the distinct impression these guys have more than a slight liking for The Melvins. In fact, it’s probably borderline fanaticism. Channeling Buzz and company straight from “Stoner Witch” Woorms may not be original, but they sure do an homage justice. My only exposure to them thus far is the recently released split they did with The Grasshopper Lies Heavy where they offered up one 20+ minute long track filled with sludge, psychedelia, more than a passing fancy with Electric Wizard, and other weird sounds. This new LP dials back a bit of the psych and samples (just a bit) and goes more for sludgy riffs, a few noodley early Mastodon-style guitar licks, and the occasional Sabbath nod. It veers off into some more experimental territory closer to the end of the record, but then brings back some stomp n’ sludge to close things out. For those seeking some variety in their swamp rock jazz cabbage parties this makes for an interesting soundtrack. (Supernova Records)
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