On their second longplayer, New Orleans group Waste Man have gotten rid almost entirely of the hardcore elements that were still front and center on their incredible 2018 tape A New Type Of Worry, but that doesn't mean their newest LP is any less thrilling. Quite on the contraty, this has become both their most ambitious and well-rounded release so far, a captivating and unpredictable ride at different points reminding me of smartypants garage punk of the Vintage Crop, Dumb or Uranium Club variety, art punk akin to Lithhics or Patti as well as contemporary post punk in the vein of Public Eye, The Gotobeds and Bambara… at the same time emitting some distinctly oldschool vibes - faint echoes of Wire and Saccharine Trust being the most noticeable ones here.
Okay… it looks like the current dungeon craze, which seemingly started out in the realm of synth-based soundscapes some time ago and has since then progressively been making its presence known on the fringes of garage punk, is now slowly but inevitably extending its grip into the musty cellars of hardcore punk. This fun new tape of medieval survival hymns about other people's heads meeting blunt, heavy objects sounds a bit as if Lumpy & The Dumpers, Cülo and Strange Attractor joined forces to record an alternate Jabberwocky soundtrack.
Another way-too-short cassette bearing the gift of quality dumb oldschool punk crankiness of the heavily KBD-leaning kind, made by two members of L.A. weirdos Launcher. What's not to like?
