Buffalo, NY group Ismatic Guru's two previous EPs were a promising and enjoyable affair already but it's on their newest cassette that their sound finally clicks into place, their vision matured and tightened-up significantly. I'd say their mix roughly located in the fuzzy realms of garage-, synth- and eggpunk has carved out their own little niche for them by enhancing their quirky aesthetics with plenty of funky action end even some slight touch of kraut-y and psychedelic vibes, most notably in the opening and closing tracks.
California group Lamictal follow up last year's insane pair of EPs with another strong tape, their overall vision coming across a little more focused on here which might in part be a result of ever-so-slightly increased production values… although polished would certainly be the wrong word here as their curious mixture of garage punk, hard-, post- and weirdcore is still filthy as fuck, upredictable and hyperactive, overwhelming the senses for just under four minutes before getting the fuck out as quickly as they turned up. Mandatory shit for friends of, say, Big Bopper, Rolex or early Patti.
These folks have been around for a couple years already and i'm kinda surprised to realize this is actually their first real full length release to date. The intro falsely hints at a somewhat progressive-ish direction, though subsequently they settle into a more familiar aesthetic, a sound that's absolutely of their time yet kinda singular among their peers in its angular, elaborate elegance - a mixture of post- and garage punk hitting the perfect mixture of smart and fun, kinda relaxed yet incredible propulsive all the same, remarkable for its layered textures and effortless execution, also presenting them at their catchiest so far. At times you might compare them to artsy post punk groups á la more recent Institute, Exit Group and Mononegatives, the slightly psyched-up variant of this as played by, say, Marbled Eye, Waste Man, Bruised or Public Eye as well as playful, clever garage punk acts like Erik Nervous, Clarko, Tee Vee Repairman, Mononegatives, Pinch Points, Dumb, Uranium Club, Reality Group… and i could still come up with many more awesome reference points. This shit rules, plain and simple!
Another constant presence of the garage scene who's been around pretty much since the beginning of this blog has a new LP out and it's such a thing of beauty! As versatile and inventive as ever, these new songs more or less continue the dude's very own quirky, slightly Devo-fied vision of garage punk that first fully took form on that Beta Blockers LP in 2019 - instantly recognizable yet always a couple steps ahead of the listener, always good for a surprise or two. Tracks like Hemgeeh und Projector come with kind of a spaced out, psychedelic Mononegatives energy. Also, we get a bunch of compact and catchy-as-fuck synth-driven smashers in the second half as well as a neat They Might Be Giants cover and Alligator Facing East is such an epic fucking hymn for the ages! Further plausible reference points for the overall sound of this record would be the likes of Andy Human and the Reptoids, Freak Genes, Isotope Soap and New Vogue.
Damn, it appears for some weird reason i've skipped posting about all previous releases of this Minneapolis group here, begging the question of what the fuck has been wrong with me all the time. While i'm consulting my therapist about that, lemme just say that this newest Citric Dummies LP is a perfect knockout punch of early '80s-influenced-oldschool-energy-meets-contemporary-garage-punk goodness packing an extra punch due to the always excellent production duties of garage prodigy Erik Nervous, of whom we're gonna hear again this week. While the Hüsker Dü-referencing title and artwork feel kinda goofy at first glance, they're also not entirely out of place as these songs conjure up a fury not entirely dissimilar to the Dü in their prime but similar things could be said of early Naked Raygun, Adolescents, an occasional hint of Bad Brains or a touch of Dickies in their catchiest moments. Every fucking song on here is a simple and precise, premeditated hit in the guts, their incredible song wizardry never failing to land even once.
This Portland Group's third full length further refines their explosive formula of seriously noise- and slightly garage-infused postcore into their most realized and elaborate effort do date, their hyperactive vision of structured chaos constantly shapeshifting and throwing curveballs all the way, leading into all kinds of interesting maneuvers. Although no two songs are too much alike on here, the most frequently applicable comparisons i can come up with are groups such as the various incarnations of New York's Kaleodoscope, early Bad Breeeding, Acrylics and, in some parts, Crisis Man, early Video and Ascot Stabber.
The second LP of this Chico, California based group led by Jake Sprecher (of Smokescreens, Beehive and Terry Malts fame) picks the strands right up where they were left off on their amazing 2021 debut album Try Not To Think, which is to say: More of their irresistibly catchy blend of noise- and power pop, garage- and fuzz punk making for yet another high-octane bubblegum pop spectacle whose impeccable songwriting prowess never flounders even for a second!
Over the past two years, Portland label Spared Flesh Records has proven itself a real powerhouse of weird and offbeat noises in the realm of post-, garage- and art punk and this new LP by Reuben Sawyer aka Anytime Cowboy is yet another rough gem to behold. His bluesey low-key cowpunk sound comes across kinda like an incarnation of early Gun Club incredibly mindful of not waking the neighbors or a super-muted version of Parquet Courts, Tyvek, while in parts also not entirely dissimilar to that recent Peace de Résistance album. It's a soundscape that could softly lull you to sleep if it weren't for that pervasive sense of unspeakable abysses lurking just around any corner now, with Sawyers calm deep voice further adding to the music's quite uncanny yet weirdly comforting qualities.
Is that title meant to be understood as a 13th Floor Elevators reference? If so, it kinda fits (plus a ton of Kinks in here as well, i'd say…) as this LP marks the closest the eclectic project of Jake Robertson (Ausmuteants, Smarts, Drug Sweat, etc…) has ever approached classic '60s garage rock territory - a proposition that could easily turn out a recipie for pure boredom in the hands of lesser musicians, but damn… this dude simply knows how to construct and carry a catchy tune. Add to the mix lots of ancient power pop of only the saddest kind and you get an LP that will surely turn out a bit difficult to swallow for some fans of his broader work, yet also doesn't seem too out-of-place if you're familiar with the breadth of previous Alien Nosejob releases, as Robertson has already dabbled in similar fare on albums such as Various Fads and Technological Achievements (2018) and Suddenly Everything Is Twice As Loud (2020), although here he finally goes all-in on this overwhelming sense of doom, an all-devouring black cloud of deep melancholia.
Pedigree of Tournai, Belgium follow up their excellent 2020 mini-LP with another strong batch of tunes, continuing the trend of their originally more garage-leaning sound gradually moving into more of a post punk direction and even some flashes of '90s postcore can be gleamed in songs such as Trapped,S.A.D. and Bread, calling to mind bits and pieces of Jawbox, Drive Like Jehu, Polvo and Hot Snakes. Disgraced, on the other hand, has more of a melodic sensibility right out of the Vaguess, Bad Sports or Motorbike playbook. And overall, my previous comparisons to french groups á la Telecult, Nightwatchers still hold true, as well as a bunch of international acts like Sauna Youth, Teenanger, Video, or Clamm.
