HALLOWEEN TIME REVIEWS!

 It's the best time of the year for the punks- Halloween!  Why?  I have no idea.  Maybe because we were always the ones perceived to be 'in costume' all year and the one day a year where everyone else dons a costume makes us all feel more at home?  Costumes and insecurity aside, it's just fun.  People get creative in different ways- with what they wear, what they put in their windows, or lawns, or whatever and I always enjoy a good dose of creativity to get my spirits up.  And that extends to a bunch of cool new stuff that came out over the last month or so that I'll pontificate upon here.  And in keeping with the holiday theme each review will get a bit of a Halloween nod as well.

ANOTHER HEAVEN, “IV: Heaven Sent”

These midwesterners have been around a minute but they’ve mostly flown under the radar (mine at least), aside from a couple really good singles here and there.  Based solely off those couple random songs I heard I decided I really needed to make sure I saw their set, playing quite early on a godamned Sunday at this year’s sensory-exhausting Caterwaul Fest in Minneapolis.  And they were just super, donchaknow (say it like a Minnesota native would).  Unbeknownst to me, they were about to release another new record and here it is.  This continues their heavy shoegaze dreamy rock that just can’t help but frequently break out into unbridled post-hardcore-but-slower heaviness in many of the songs.  I can’t complain about that.  It’s like the bliss of stuffing your face full of candy, pilfered from a night of trick or treating in the ‘good’ neighborhoods, and getting a sugar rush headache, only to be gouged later with a nasty stomachache from overdoing it.  Songs like “Erased” come across as pleasant, breezy, and poppy as can be and then they just shout at you with a hard stop-start chorus several times, alternating between the two styles all bi-polar like.  “Catacombs” gives you their best take on Hum for the first half and then during the second half they decide to demonstrate what it would sound like if Hum really liked Neurosis.  Patterns like this exist all over the record until closing track, “The Light” which has an almost Radiohead-quality to the melody and feel of the song.  Current contemporaries would place them around the likes of Soul Blind, Cloakroom, or Big Garden.  Eat it up like a king-size Zagnut kids.  (Mpls Ltd)

CRONIES, “L1V3 S1CK0 L0V3 F3ST”

Get a load of these bold motherfuckers.  Who comes out the gate swinging their dicks around just to show the boulder-sized balls they got to go with it like this?  They start their record off with some nasty chunky old Helmet sort of bomber and then go right into “Ice Pop” that sounds like it was birthed from the center hole in a mint copy of the KARP/Rye split.  After that they continue with some songs that sound like Chat Pile covering Rage Against the Machine, though I could probably do without the rappy-sounding vocals, which are most prominent on “Rentboy”.  And even though I cringe just a little bit at that it’s still bold on their part to just say fuck it and go for broke.  They bring it back at the end with a very long song that somehow manages to continuously rock the fuck out for over 9 minutes, like the entire time.  So hats off to Cronies for being the types that would double down by not only keeping their Halloween decorations up all year ‘round, but go in on having at least two 12 foot skeletons in their yard. (Reptilian)

DUG, “You Make Me Sad”

Slower than the plot of “Rosemary’s Baby”, but two dudes having more fun than the silliness of “Phantom Of the Paradise”, Dug is a band you really need to see in order to fully understand.  On their third album in probably just as many years the duo continue to lay on the crushing sludge/drone/amplifier worship to a ridiculous degree.  Most of the time stuff like this goes right past me and at first I kind of felt that way about this band too.  But then I saw them and witnessed just how much fun they were having, seemingly enthralled and giddy about how huge and heavy playing 5 beats per minute could be before an utterly flattened audience.  So yeah, on record it’s all doom, gloom, broken machinery, abstract samples, and occasional deviations into strange found sounds or electronic bits.  You’re kind of suffering through it, and some people like that.  Live, you’re cheering the sonic apocalypse while winging empty beer cans at the stage and the two guys in Dug are laughing with you before another note deflects the shotgunned tall boy with sound so dense you need a shovel just to get out of the room.  “Pain Machine” (the record before this) is probably their most ‘accessible’ one, but this ain’t too shabby either. (The Ghost Is Clear)

FILTH IS ETERNAL “Find Out”

I think I feel a bit misled by the first couple singles that were released from the new Filth Is Eternal record.  They had some hooks, some singing parts…. were they going soft?  Um, heck no.  Put this slab of wax on and the entire A-side is like getting creamed by a cement truck sick of waiting in Tacoma traffic on the I-5 and gone full road rage.  There is absolutely no letting up through the first 7 or 8 tracks.  It’s a new high water mark for the band, who have already been pushing their raging hardcore for years now.  At their most vicious they fall somewhere in between the stadium crust of Tragedy, and the HM-2 heaviness of Black Breath.  And at their least ‘heavy’?  I’d say they evoke some of the snarled shouts and catchy thump of L7.  It isn’t until the last 4 or so tracks where they do kind of stretch their musical wings a bit and try some different song structures, a number of leads and melodies, and not just plowing through riff after riff.  It certainly adds some tasteful balance to an already stellar record.  And this is a record that truly sounds as loud and heavy as the band does live, so kudos on a great recording that really captures what it’s like to see this band on stage (or floor), which is like a hearty kick straight to the Wolf-Mans nards.  (MNRK Heavy)

FINAL GASP, “Mourning Moon”

This sounds like early Van Halen playing Samhain.  I don’t mean that derisively either.  It’s fine.  It certainly makes it stand out.  But don’t tell me you don’t hear some of that Diamond Dave intonation in the vocals.  It’s there.  I’m just waiting for this guy to bust out some spandex and jump off the stage while doing a split.   Although I’m guessing that’s not going to happen, unless it’s occurring in a cemetery under a full moon and there’s zombie moshers around.  This isn’t my typical go-to punk, but I like it when I hear it. Get you some deathrock, goth, and hardcore all rolled together.  There is a distinctive 80’s quality to the recording on purpose, which just makes these punk rippers sound all that much more distinctive.  “Blood and Sulfur” stands out as one of the strongest tracks on record between it’s upbeat delivery, crushing stomp, and keeping things brief.  And yet, they cruise right into the title track afterwards, which might be one of the more melodic songs on the LP, adding some synth for texture while remaining spooky all around.  Honestly, if you’re not listening to this a lot this month (it being October and all) you’ve either got Samhain on repeat, or you’re doing something wrong with your life.  Carve a pumpkin, put it over your head, and skeleton mosh through Spirit Halloween.  (Relapse)

NECKBOLT, “Dream Dump”

Austin’s Neckbolt serve up a platter of songs more bizarre and off-the-wall than the entire 88 minute runtime of schlock horror B-movie “Blood Diner”.  As strange and out there as the band is they’re really not too far afield from fellow acid-trip experimental groove gurus Guerilla Toss, if they were winging it from a garage and with more duck tape holding everything together.  In other words, the group can reel you in with rhythmic repetition but then peel back the layers of reality through piles of feedback, distortion, and every conceivable voice modulator made even weirder through circuit bending (or some other process I’m too much of a layperson to understand).  It really does make for a wild and fun listen, especially because they mostly keep the songs relatively brief, which is just enough time to surprise you, confuse you, and then get out just as you begin to grasp what they’re doing. Recommended for fans of weird and original shit from another planet. (Born Yesterday Records)

OPEN CITY, “Hand In the Honey Jar”

We’re all lucky to be living in a timeline where we get to experience the individuals in this band get together to make music and share it with us.  It’s been a pretty long time since Open City graced us with new music (nearly 6 years I think), but to be fair, they are an extremely part time band so I suppose we ought to just feel lucky to get anything at all.  For those unfamiliar, Open City is half of Paint It Black with drummer Chris Wilson (Ted Leo/Pharmacists) and guitar virtuoso Rachel Rubino (Bridge & Tunnel) trading 6 strings for one microphone and absolutely shredding throat.  Despite an overt dedication to channeling all things Sarah Kirsch (Fuel, Torches To Rome, Bread and Circuits, a million other bands) and Dischord hardcore, you can still hear traces of guitarist Dan Yemin’s distinct playing style in there.  It all makes for an excellent listen of emotionally wrought, tenuously melodic, and energy-filled hardcore punk.  A couple welcome deviations from the overarching theme take place where Yemin slips in a full-on Paint It Black song with “Blitz Kids Stay Sick”, as well as an obvious nod to Philly legends Ink & Dagger at the end of “Return Your Stolen Property Is Theft”.  Meanwhile, midway track “No One Thinks About You More Than You” takes a slower, more somber, yet melodically uplifting respite before things pick up again through the second half of the record.  All told, this is a great follow up to their first album, filled with enough emotion to wake the dead Herbert West-style in “Re-Animator”. (Get Better)

TORONTO BLESSINGS, “Big Wins”

OK, try to keep up, geographically speaking.  Toronto Blessings are a band that does not hail from Canada, but instead the UK.  And yet, on the first few tracks here they really remind me of the punky noiseniks in Canada’s very own Metz.  So, just keep your head in England here, OK?  Because after that initial salvo of songs they pivot to the far more expansive and drawn out “Omission”.  And from there they get weirder as various guitar effects whizz and weave throughout the songs like laser fire in some sci-fi flick, to 70’s slasher proggy film synths.  Additionally, insofar as vocals are concerned, the band errs more on the sassy punk side evoking some kind of midway point between the freaked out spazz of The Blood Brothers and the more wavering singing of At The Drive-In.  I know this all sounds kind of like a mixed bag, but believe me, it works.  You get enough rippers that are nicely balanced out by some of the longer and more involved songs.  Just like the “Halloween” film franchise sometimes they just throw in the odd movie that doesn’t fit with the others, but regardless of which one you’re watching someone’s getting killed. (Serial Bowl Records)

WRONG MAN, “Big Plans” EP

The second EP from Wrong Man comes pretty quickly after their first one and I sort of wonder why they didn’t just roll with an LP from the jump.  In the long run I suppose it doesn’t mater, however, there is a noticeable difference between the songwriting on that first record and this one where it seems they put an emphasis on more melody than before, particularly in the layered guitars across the pensive and anxiety-inducing “Wait”.  Still present are the Rollins Band style bluesy riffs (especially on the title track) and the almost spoken word creepy crawl of “Lights Out”. Of course, there’s some seriously great screaming in that song as well.  This EP lacks a little of the more overt weighty heaviness of their first EP, but comes across just as crunchy in other ways.  Not everything has to come at you with a sledgehammer to be heavy.  This is more creeping killer waiting in the woods, a la “Killer In the Woods” (how’s that for a comparison?).  (Sunday Drive)

DAY JOB TO RELEASE "THE AUGER" THIS FALL

 

DAY JOB is a fairly new band from Birmingham, AL comprised of two individuals who have been playing with one another in a variety of other bands around the area over a long period of time and a recent transplant with a resume of their own.

Today, New Noise Magazine is debuting the first single from the record, entitled "Hour Back", as well as a pre-order for the record.

CHECK OUT THE SINGLE HERE

PRE-ORDER HERE

Day Job started with Brenton and Kevin wanting to work on something more aggressive than their two other active bands, Null and Bulging. After jamming with several different drummers, they watched scene newcomer Jake pummel through a live set and found their fit, ultimately landing on what is now Day Job. After spending about 6 months writing and playing their initial shows, the trio recorded a debut EP with Shibby Poole (Thirdface, Yautja) in early 2022. Hex Records took quick notice of the group and a deal for a full length was quickly struck up.

As an introduction of sorts, the band recorded a few more tracks which were released through Hex as a limited split tape release with Wipes, also on the Hex label.  Day Job then began the writing process for their debut full length, “The Auger”, in February 2023. The whole procedure of writing and recording took just 6 months and in that time the band played live only once so that they could pour everything into writing new material.  Day Job then returned to Nashville where they recorded every single sound on the record in 4 days, from July 8-11, once again with Shibby Poole behind the board.

The result is “The Auger” - a 10-song crusher of big riffs, sludgy bass, and morose heaviness. The band has developed beyond their earlier KARP/Unsane worship and added unsettling melodies, moments of trance-like repetition akin to the members' other work in Null, as well as the tasteful use of various effects pedals to add texture and emphasis to these otherwise hammering songs. 

REVIEW SPICE LATTE

 OK, if summer was a little slow (for me anyway) with new music that made me do a double take this early entry into fall has already got my noggin on a swivel like I'm Linda Blair in the Exorcist.  But instead of Satan's vomit I'm spewing words of excitement over a bumper crop of great new music both from long-standing familiar favs (Great Falls, Will Haven, KEN Mode), as well as a bunch of new up-and-comers (Silk Leash, Kircher, We. and more!).  Heck, the season is already so chock full of excellent new stuff that I kind of already have next months block of reviews mapped out.  So just give me a minute to catch up, alright?

FEEFAWFUM, “100”

Upon getting underway with listening to the new LP from Oakland group FeeFawfum I was instantly transported to the early aughts by way of quirky and bouncy sassy punk like Q And Not U.  As the record goes on though it deviates into a little more goofy-sounding and somewhat chaotic bits, and I don’t mean that derisively.  So instead of nose-in-the-air hipster nonsense it musically comes off as more fun and a bit spazzy, which is cool.  Despite that I guess based on the bands own album description a lot of this record is about dealing with being a diabetic…. so ya know, not so funny.  Still, the band sound exceptionally fun in a freaked out way on “Plucked” before the second half of “Miles Away” slows things down to a melancholy instrumental revolving around mostly synths and sampled noises. (self-released)

GET WELL, “Burning the Village To Feel It’s Warmth” EP

For a band whose name makes me think they’re a youth crew band (I’m getting them mixed up with Be Well) this is very confusing.  And disorienting. Have you heard this?  Of course not, that’s why you’re reading this.  It’s a really unsettling listen.  The vocals come at you harsh as fuck, channeling some Botch energy.  So you’re then expecting crushing guitars and math-y parts, but instead it’s almost clean guitars, jangling and jabbing at you like some sociopath with a Swiss army knife and a wound fetish. The first song really throws me off from what I’ve just described but by the time track two rolls around it begins to settle in that this is something weird.  Yet it’s only three tracks total so there’s never really a full adjustment period.  That’s kind of a good thing though- keep people guessing, never let them feel at ease, and left a bit uncomfortable. Recorded in a roller rink.  Cool, cool.  Even more discomfort at that thought where a campy horror movie style murder definitely isn’t going to happen. (self-released)

GREAT FALLS, “Objects Without Pain” 2xLP

I’m going to be partial to these guys because I’ve released stuff for them and their other bands and they live in the area.  So any hint of journalistic integrity is kind of kaput here.  It’s not like I’m going to lie and tell you this doesn’t rule.  I feel like Great Falls are a band that consistently outdoes themselves each time and it’s quite a feat to do so honestly.  Their music is so emotionally exhausting, cathartic and crushing, and done so in ways that often defy what average musicians should be able to pull off.  And to be as prolific as they have been just makes it more bewildering.  Basically, Great Falls are the current high water mark for bands doing chaotic, emotionally draining, math-y noisecore.  Are all those words together a subgenre?  Whatever.  They easily transition from blasting, knotty riffs that shouldn’t make sense (but eventually do) into world-ending Neurosis-like sludgy doom, and somber reprieves…. and writing long songs.  And now with Nick Parks (Gaytheist) playing drums things sound even more violent and intense.  But be warned, the theme, or sort of concept, of this record is some truly depressing adult-in-limbo distress.  It’s that real life existential musings on failure, family, trying to cope with giant life changes in middle age sort of shit.  It’s hard.  So take that as you will.  Like all releases from this band their presentation is stellar, with intricate artwork, as well as some bonus stuff with a letterpressed booklet (designed and handmade by the band) and extra song for the obsessive weirdos like me.  Hey, I’m a guy like me!   Nevertheless, everything about this band and record gives you 100% of what they have and then some and on the live front you’ll either go deaf, get your neck swiped by a swinging bass guitar, or cry…. or maybe all of the above.  What you’ll  never be is shortchanged. (Neurot)

GRIDLINK, “Coronet Juniper”

It’s been a number of years since Gridlink gave us all new music to get whiplash to.  I’d long been a fan of vocalist Jon Chang, ever since shredding his throat for grind maestros Discordance Axis.  His undeniable shriek is all over this record (well, not the second half, but I’ll get to that in a minute).  Musically it’s in that same vein, but there’s more emphasis on classically trained guitar to go along with the seemingly endless blast beats.  Sure, these guys all love grindcore, but they also love video game music.  So imagine those concepts of wailing guitar over Sonic going like a thousand miles an hour collecting coins like a fiend, or Camy kicking the shit out you in an alley and apply it with blast beats.  The first handful of tracks here lean a bit more into those ideas, along with lots of leads.  But once they get to “Octave Serpent” and going basically until the rest of the record things just become straight up vicious, with songs barely passing the minute mark and just absolutely killing it.  That’s the best stuff.  Now here’s where it gets weird.  There’s 22 tracks listed here with the second half listed as ‘karaoke’ versions of all the previous 11 tracks.  It sounds like it could be something fun, or a goof with this group’s sense of humor.  But it’s just all instrumental versions of those songs.  So just a fun name for instrumental tracks I guess?  Either way, the vocalized record is a compact 19 minutes and 11 tracks, which is basically the perfect length of time to experience a grind record.  Anything more than that and your head will explode. (Willowtip)

KEN MODE, “Void” 

The quick follow up to last year’s “Null”, KEN Mode strike back with more insidious noise racket.  I’m unsure if this is supposed to be a companion record to “Null” and written in the same time frame, though the similar cover art alludes to as much.  However, I’m more inclined to see this as their side record where they get to fuck around more with sounds you wouldn’t normally chalk up to the KEN Mode sound.  Tracks like “These Wires”, which, I’m not gonna lie, sounds like an emo Steve Erkle for the first half.  But then they go into “We’re Small Enough”, an instrumental that uses spacey synths alongside a cold post-punk sort of Killing Joke thing.  It’s not long before they jump back into the absolutely crushing berating they’re known for with the plodding “I Cannot” and that’s probably my favorite (arguably best) song on the album. If “Null” was the official introduction for newest member Kathryn Kerr- with her accompanying saxophone on a few tracks, as well as noise/synth additions- than this record truly folds her completely into the fabric of the band and gives them another dimension. “A Reluctance Of Being” has her saxophone playing a somber and jazzy lead for the entire first half of the track while it bellows and wails spastically during the repetitive and cacophonous second half of the track.  The last two songs on the record take a decidedly less aggressive approach as the vocals are mostly spoken, the bass is overall less distorted and keeps a simplistic repetition on both songs, and there is more piano, sax, and even some strings (on “Not Today, Old Friend”).  Yeah, it’s a different turn for the otherwise highly confrontational KEN Mode, but it’s awesome they have given it a go and for the most part, it works.  Not to worry for those who appreciate consistency- at least three of the 8 songs here will beat the ever-lovin’ snot out of you in the way you’re used to. (Artoffact)

KIRCHER,  s/t EP

I’m not sure if this can be called a side project when the ‘main’ project isn’t super active.  What do you call that?  Adjacent project?  Whatever, it’s all semantics.  Kircher is the project of fellas from Prayer Group and it doesn’t stray super far from that, but they do exorcise a few additional musical demons on this EP offering that you may not encounter in Prayer Groups riffy racket.  Kircher definitely toss in some of their loud and brash noise rock clanging around, heavy on Jesus Lizard/Pissed Jeans/Blacklisters sort of worship and that’s never a reason to be mad.  However, midway track “How I Learned To Start Worrying…” (and it’s short noise intro before it) delves into some droney chatter over trance-y drug-addled jamming.  Lyrically, Chat Pile would like you to hold their beer.  Final track “Gone” is lengthy and pulses uncomfortably with added effects akin to what the dudes in Haunted Horses get up to before it busts into some “Souls At Zero”-era Neurosis apocalyptic slow burn.  It’s certainly the odd track out but it’s a good one.  So you get three more straightforward heavy rockers and a trio of varying levels of weirdness with mixed results.  Give it a try why not? (Fisher King Records)

SILK LEASH, s/t

Not exactly a new band, but my first encounter with their brand of audio terrorism.  These Maryland filth addicts let loose with all the ugly swagger and self-injurious punk destruction akin to Pissed Jeans after they fell into a dumpster of used syringes.  I know it’s a fairly easy comparison, but it’s apt.  I’d say Silk Leash aren’t as up front about their humor (if they have any) but they bring unsettling noise rock in relatively quick bursts for the first half of this full length and then let fate take their hand as they close out things with “You Are Replaceable” comprised of a a winding bass looping amongst swirling chaos and hitting every guitar pedal they own just to see what happens. But packed between the opening 90 seconds track of this record and the closers five minutes-plus of fuck all abandon are 8 more punchy and dastardly ripping jams.  (self-released)

WE., “Blursed” EP

Wild and weird chaos from the wastelands of Ohio comes the difficult-to-google We..  One guy plays a two-string bass and sings while the other bashes drums.  But for two guys it’s a whole bunch of racket and it’s pretty awesome.  Much of the song structures and tones they’re getting out of that wacky bass are really akin to Denver noiseniks Moon Pussy, while adding in a big trashy sound similar to another band  reviewed a couple months back called Big Clown.  But instead of a full band just imagine two fellows fucking up your day.  While the content of the songs seems to be serious there’s definitely a sense of fun, what with naming their EP “Blursed”, as well as the crazy structure to these songs- chaotic but having a good time doing it.  By the time they get to “Behind Closed Doors” there’s no fucking around and maximum damage occurs.  I’m all for it.  Pretty rad overall.  (self-released)

WILL HAVEN, “VII”

Will Haven is nothing if not extremely consistent.  They’ve barely changed their sound in the 25+ years they have been a band and it’s pretty much guaranteed that if you like one of their albums you will probably like all of them.  At times they have leaned more into their mix of sludge metal and atmospheric sounds (like on 2011’s “Voir Dire”), but you will never not catch them throwing in heaps of their chugging metallic groove throughout.  “VII” is a fine addition to their rather large body of work and I’d say focuses more on their chug-chug-chug style, as well as on shorter songs.  Will Haven has long been their own beast, even though many want to lump them into nu-metal, which I think is far off-base.  They are a band that favors slick production, lots of low end hostility, and tight groove but you’ll never see them attempting to rap and they all love Neurosis so there’s that.  They’ve toured with plenty of arena-packing nu-metal bands, but hey, why not play in front of a huge crowd if you can, right?  Whatever the case, Will Haven has always paired their desire-to-punch-a-parking-meter stomp with slow and crushing riffs, pained screaming, and spooky atmospheric noise to make something all their own.  It’s a thing I like, and I will continue to like Will Haven because they’re great at what they do.  (Minus Head Records)

MORE MUMS, IN VIDEO FORM!

 OK,OK, enough about MUMS right?  Wrong.

Not only is their new record out now, but you can also get a little view into their studio stuff while they were recording to the tune of "100 Kilos" off the record.

Get a load of this:

Get "Legs" on LP/CD/digital HERE.

MUMS, "LEGS" STREAMING IN FULL!

 

It's here!  The first new MUMS album in something like 6 years is out and you can listen to it in full a day before its official release through the folks over at Idioteq !

They're doing a full album stream, along with a track-by-track breakdown of each song on the record so you can see just what they're all about.

If you haven't heard the cacophonous roar of Mums, coupled with their very apparent joy they take in making lots of noise busting eardrums and all that maybe right now is a good time to rectify that.

"Legs" is out now and shipping via Hex Records in the US on LP/CD/digital.  Society Of Losers is handling the UK version (which has alternate, and very cool, artwork and a different vinyl color), which will be out in November.

Get it HERE or HERE.

REVIEWS AS HOT AS SCABIES IN AUGUST

 Is that headline in poor taste?  Do a lot of my readers have scabies?  I hope not.  I did, once, when I was a teen.  It really sucked.  Why am I telling you this?  I guarantee my mind is on this litany of new releases I've decided to check out and I assure you they're bringing me great joy and not scabies (though that Rabbit EP might  give you scabies, jury's out).

BEDTIMEMAGIC, “Sleep Together” EP

On first listen to this new effort from Bedtimemagic a lot of it just wasn’t making sense to me.  Too much going on.  How can just two guys make things this complicated?  But after a couple more listens it kind of came to me that they’re sort of like Big Business (which is rather obvious, and a bit lazy on my part as far as descriptors go - a bassist and drummer duo shouldn’t automatically relegate them to tat comparison) meets The Locust.  They do big gnarled riffs and pair it up with spazzy and unpredictable parts.  It’s still not the sort of thing that grabs me by the balls, but at least now I can make sense of it in my head.  Whereas on really short tracks like “Keep Dreaming” it starts off all weird and cool with some almost video game sort of repetitious sound it then just sort of goes off into some chaotic thing, but then you get to “Soporific” where they again go for brevity and just nail it with a fast ripper where the chaos is reined into something you can grasp.  In the middle of this quick 6 song EP they turn in a long, exceptionally emotional song with “Turn Down Service” that kinda pulls at the heartstrings.  It’s kind of hard to tell with this group if they’re going for serious or ridiculous.  The subject matter of the songs appears to be heartfelt and therapeutic.  Their chaotic nature and the goofy onesies they insist on wearing live allude to comedy?  I’m not sure.  There’s a lot going on here, some of it really great, some of it kind of unnecessary.  I do enjoy their experiments with added percussive elements and some of the added electronic sounds here and there, which works to great effect. (The Ghost Is Clear)

FIDDLEHEAD, “Death Is Nothing To Us”

It’s going to be hard to top Fiddlehead’s last album, “Between the Richness”, as it showed a band fully realized and in command of their sound.  But I gotta say, this new one is catching up to it.  I was relatively unfazed with a couple of the singles they released prior to the album coming out and I thought maybe the band had gotten stale.  But when those songs are now heard in context with the rest of the record, as well as with the lyrics in front of me, it’s a whole other thing.  Musically it’s just as on point as before and their own description of ‘hardcore energy with anthemic 90’s alternative and Revolution Summer emo’ is right on the money.  As for the songs themselves, “True Hardcore (II)” eloquently bashes gatekeepers and dusty old heads stuck in ‘the good ‘ol days’ who shit on anything current while you get some of the best lyrics and tearjerking joy from “The Woes” with it’s 108 wink-and-nod followed by the line “The woe is me, the woe is you, here in our rooms, so walk with me and I’ll walk with you out of our doom.”  Sadly, it’s followed with a single incredibly corny line at the end of “Fiddleheads” stating “but I don’t just want to get by, good thing I got my ride or dies”.  The last two tracks on the record are some of the best material the band has written- “Fifteen To Infinity” with it’s great mid-paced groove and closer “Going To Die” with another lyrical wink, this time to Bad Brains, and a fantastic diatribe on odes to those who’ve passed, the joys of life, and the uplifting spirit of getting back up and getting by.  It’s quite beautiful honestly.  There’s a lot of depressive rumination throughout this record, both from a personal perspective, as well as from the viewpoint of others, and a general sadness for humanity.  But it always feels like there’s a bit of light a the end, where you take in all the bad and you process it and then carry on with positivity in your life despite the grief and (at times) hopelessness that comes with getting older.  And it’s all set to a great soundtrack.  You’d do well to give this a thorough listen. (Run For Cover)

MAXIMUM MAD, “Anxiety” EP

I thought maybe Portland’s most riff-tastic sludgy rockers had called it a day, but here’s an EP of new material that says otherwise.  I’m really glad this is out in the world too because I recall having heard a couple of these songs live in the band’s somewhat rare public appearances and you all need to catch this.  Heirs to the lumberjack heaviness of other Northwest luminaries like Harkonen this sounds almost like unintentional tribute and there ain’t a thing bad about that.  My favorite track here is “Baby’s First Noise Complaint” due to how alarmingly catchy it is, but closer “Cigarette Mother” isn’t too far behind with it’s world-ending final couple minutes.  Put this on and immediately watch your beard grow and a tallboy of Rainier magically appear in your hand.  (self-released)

PRETTY PLEASE, “Discount Wax Museum”

This band has been quiet for awhile now and I thought maybe they were a flash in the pan.  Thankfully, they have graced us with more sludgy grunge to bang your head and rip the sleeves off your flannel to.  With vocals that unabashedly fall somewhere almost perfectly between Alice In Chains and Nirvana, the music isn’t far behind those two either.  Although I’d say that both grunge forefathers had a bit more depressing demeanor to much of their material and Pretty Please sound a bit more fun, even if the lyrics pine similar territory.  They break it up in the middle with the solemn, but still kinda fun, “Burn This Fucker Down” that has all the simplistic repetition of early Weezer (but, ya know, good) before getting back to the relentless riff sniffing.  This is a good one, check it out. (self-released)

RABBIT, “Bardo” EP

Rabbit were pretty damn hard previously.  This just ups the ante.  Previously I had compared them to other NYC rippers Warthog (and ya know, even in their more moshy parts a bit like Ekulu now that I think about it), but Rabbit has leaned way more into their metal side here and I think there’s no going back. Everything is pushed way into the red and where glints of hardcore once were Rabbit just say ‘fuck it’ and go for more disgusting speed, howling solos, and grimey-ass breakdowns.  You’ll be hard-pressed to find a group that takes all of the filthiness of second-generation cassette-only death metal band, and pair it with the most devious hardcore and d-beat around.  Do you like things really fast?  Second track “Tail Wags Dog” is basically a grind song with an evil solo tacked on in the middle.  Do you like things slow and beatdown-y sans macho pit calls?  Closer, “Anti-Priest Summons Baphomet” should whet that appetite and cause rotator cuff injuries. I don’t know if physical media of this EP exists, but I imagine if you leave a sawbuck at a sewer pipe emptying into the Gowanas Canal a golem in a patch-covered battle vest will emerge and give you a tape of this along with a bag full of airplane glue. (self-released)

SELF DEFENSE FAMILY, “Law of Karma Live: Fake Shit Wins But Not Tonight” 2xLP

It’s a little odd to think, given a lengthy timeline, that most people now would know Self-Defense Family vocalist Pat Kindlon from his non-stop touring band Drug Church (or maybe from his podcasts he co-hosts).  But before all that (well, kind of concurrent with) Self-Defense Family was releasing records seemingly every month.  The groups earlier incarnation as End Of a Year may have been even more prolific.  Between the two there’s probably at least three dozen LPs, 7”, splits, and EPs which is wild to think about.  Self Defense Family has been rather quiet over the last few years as Drug Church became basically a full-time band.  However, there’s a lot to be said for SDF and their ever-evolving sound.  This is a live record, which is kind of a rare thing these days.  But if you’ve ever seen SDF then you know this will be a treat.  Why?  Well, not only is their music great, but Kindlon’s between-song banter is legendary so some of that is basically worth the price of admission.  They’re a band that never really spends much time revisiting old material and they tend to focus on whatever they’re up to at that moment.  In the case of this album, recorded in 2019 across a few shows, they’re playing material mostly from “Have You Considered Punk Music” and “Heaven Is Earth”, but sprinkle in a bit here and there from various EPs (there’s a lot to draw from honestly).  Two of my favorite SDF songs make an appearance here- both from the aforementioned LPs- “Talia” and “Watcher At the Well” and they’re played true to form.  Kindlon’s raspy growl is at opposite ends of the mostly somber and slow music; obvious musical touchstones being stuff like Lungfish, anything made by Alex Dunham, Slint, and even early Tortoise to a degree.  SDF takes patience, but there’s a wealth to devour here and not just the hilarious vamping from Pat between tracks.  Additionally, I don’t have my vinyl copy yet, but the label releasing this- LandLand Colportage-  is known for going all out on creative handmade/hand-screened packaging, elaborate design, and beautiful screen prints, posters, and other artistic ephemera.  So it’s a cool bonus that I know is coming my way once the physical media is out there. (Land Land Colportage)

TACOS, “3”

Last time I checked in with Tacos (at least on record) they were a duo.  Since that time I’ve seen them on a few occasions and they had become a trio with the addition of Helms Alee drummer Hozi Matheson-Margullis on bass and vocals, thus giving the band a lot more room to work with different sounds, ideas, and vocal patterns (with all three members sharing the mic).  Tacos already had a good deal of commonality with Helms Alee (outside of just sharing a split 7” together) in terms of a big burly sound and dueling male/female vocals and now it’s a bit more.  However, I’d say this result, while certainly not lacking in regards to heavy and lumbering rock, leans pretty hard into psychedelic melody and weirdness more than I had expected. A mid-record acoustic sort of interlude gives way to the lengthy “Coug Snugz”, which spends much of it’s time meandering and exploring before it’s eventual break into a harder finale.  And by the time they close with “Ye Olde Growth” they’re drifting into the ether, an almost pleasant ending to a record that shows it’s love to all things Pacific Northwest heavy fuzz, an obvious adoration of the melodic interplay and ripping rock of Heart, as well as some unexpected twists into the unknown.  (Nadine Records)

PINKO ANNOUNCE FALL TOUR!

 

Our homies in Pinko will be hitting the road this Fall for an East Coast romp that takes them up the coast and then back to TX for the annual No Coast Fest.  They will be with fellow Midwest noise mongers Nerver for the trek.

Of note, this will be Pinko's first run as a four-piece!  Bassist Jared Flores has switched to second guitar, while our old pal Bill Indelicato (of Exhalants and Neckbolt) has joined in on bass.  It should make for a true sonic assault of the senses.  This will get the band fine-tuned for recording some new stuff later this year as well.  More on that for another time...

In the meantime, go check out this tour!

10/8- Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas 

10/9- New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa 

10/10- Birmingham, AL @ The Firehouse 

10/11- Atlanta, GA @ The 529 

10/12- Raleigh, NC @ Ruby Deluxe 

10/13- Baltimore, MD @ The Crown 

10/14- New Brunswick, NJ @ In The West 

10/15- Philadelphia, PA @ Ortliebs 

10/16- Pittsburgh, PA The Govt Center 

10/17- Kalamazoo, MI The Runoff 

10/18- Indianapolis, IN @ State Street Pub 

10/19- Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village 

10/20- Memphis, TN @ Lamplighter 

10/21- Denton, TX @ NO COAST