Video Daughters – Shakedown
Cut Back releases January 31st via Already Dead Tapes and Records.
The Resource Network & Big Hog – Split 7"
This already marks the second time these two bands from Indianapolis are pooling their, um… resources for a split release – this time it’s a 7″ on Goodbye Boozy Records. Not only is the recording quality a little bit less rough than last time; both bands have also significantly diversified their musical vocabulary.
The Resource Network alternate between smartypants garage punk of the Uranium Club & Yammerer variety, a post punk/-core thingy you could imagine as a weird mix of Rites Of Spring and early Slovenly, and finally a straight punk rocker radiating a Launcher-style KBD Vibe.
Quite a bit of the latter you can also find on Big Hog’s side and there’s less of a hardcore edge to their new songs – instead you’ll find a wild post punk ride you might describe as Patti-meet-early-Minutemen, surrounded by two blasts of noise punk resembling what Lumpy & The Dumpers could have sounded like on some sort of sludge/doom trip.
B.E.E.F. 39X – Man-Simulator 5
At first listen, i can’t help but think of the texan (neo) no wave/chaotic noise rock connection around bands like Flesh Narc, Gay Cum Daddies and a few other projects sharing much of the same personnel. However, this band is from Philadelphia, making any association with those rather unlikely. Also, on closer inspection, their sound and songs come across a lot more structured, compared with the kinda semi-improvised feel of the Denton scene’s output. Soundwise, this is somewhat less in the no wave camp, leaning more into the noise rock side of things and now that i’m thinking of it… I also see quite some similarities to their geographically much closer New York contemporaries Spray Paint and Big Neck Police, as well as a hint of canadian noise punks Sopcans.
Album-Stream →Warm Exit – Demo
On their demo, Brussels outfit Warm Exit come up with a flawless little dose of synth-enhanced garage punk, alternately reminding me of contemporary genre powerhouses like Ausmuteants, Dumb, Erik Nervous or Powerplant.
Krul – EP
The australian Scene always finds new ways to surprise, sometimes outright baffle me. This time it’s done by a melbourne group featuring members of, among others, Kids Of Zoo, profoundly unsettling my sense of geography by way of having their lyrics sung in japanese. Sound-wise, i’m reminded of more-or-less gloomy post punk stuff by acts like Institute, Diät, Criminal Code, Pretty Hurts or Acrylics – combined with some noisy and rough DIY punk in the vein of Lumpy & The Dumpers, Launcher or Beast Fiend, as well as a faint echo of Hot Snakes.
Album-Stream →Super X – Super X
This tape by Melbourne group Super-X isn’t exactly new stuff, but that shit is way to strong not to be mentioned here. Witness a sonic spectacle unfold, fusing the old garage-/proto punk fuzz of Fun House-era Stooges with spaced out vibes not unlike Destruction Unit or early Telescopes, all the while dragging along with it some traces of contemporary post punk.
Nag – Red Panda
It’s business as usual for Atlanta’s Nag on their newest EP, on which they’re staying clear of new experiments and bright ideas. I’m perfectly fine with that. Instead, their sound made from fragments of post-, fuzz- and noise punk once again manages to convince me, crafted into three rock solid songs that aren’t even trying to look smarter than they actually are – and that’s exactly why they work so well.
Digital Leather – Compass
Because You’re A Winner releases May 1st.
Lié – Digging In The Desert
You Want It Real releases February 28th via Mint Records.
Mush – Eat The Etiquette
3D Routine releases February 14th via Memphis Industries.
