Get Disoriented! [MPGS52]
6 August, 2013
So, as I mentioned earlier, I've been listening to The Waiting Room quite a bit lately. This week, unfortunately, has seen me in too many places and not enough time to sit down - but, alas, I have been paying attention. These two picks from Bandcamp both popped up in one show, and were too righteous to turn down. Dig:
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Mirror Parties – Kids. KIDS. I shouldn’t need to ramble on and on about these guys, but I probably will, because this single EP is too addicting. It’s called Bear Vomit – and yes, that sounds disgusting, but just taste that title track and you’ll be hooked at once. It’s that guitar, that crazy warped twang that drives the absolutely infectious hook into your skull - but it’s those vocals too, a curious drawl that could either inspire skins to crawl or hearts to melt, depending on your taste. And Mirror Parties serve up helping after helping of dissonant, woozy pop, like the darkly joyous “Cherry Pie”, the sinister “Bodies” (my personal favorite – the best cruising track EVER), or the murky yet rousing ”No Light”.
Throughout the first half of the album, however, undercurrents of hiss and unsettling noise flow between the tracks. These moments make perfect (non)sense on the cassette release – particularly in my car, where the tracks numbers aren’t displayed, and the discord bleeds seamlessly from one song to the next. Even though I knew better, I nevertheless felt ill at ease toward the end of the A-side on “Budd”, as if something were dissembling within my tape deck. And then “A Dog Returns To Its Vomit” popped up and dispels all fears – it’s so Joy Division-esque, you might be crying tears of joy. And then there’s the girl tracks. Mirror Parties assume a wholly different guise on “Jean” and “Where Is Judy?” – more minimal, more disturbing, more striking. The way the vocalist sings “let me love Jean” in the former is nearly heartbreaking, but the staggered piano suggests something amiss. Elsewhere, in the latter, only a swirling guitar and a ponderous bass supplement the nervous vocals – until the track opens into that wonderful, vindictive chorus. It’s absolutely cathartic, one of the greatest moments on the album. I don’t know much else about Mirror Parties, save for this EP. But it’s fantastic, and as infectious as the plague. Hear it below, then buy the sweet tunage on Bandcamp from Untied Trash Records via digital download or as a super-cheap cassette. |
Gravel Samwidge – It’s easy to compare bands to the Fall, isn’t it? Perhaps. But Gravel Samwidge aren’t knock-offs – these blokes are nastier than that, a mixture of viscous word spewing, filthy massive bass, and disorderly guitars. Their latest EP, Home Brand, is a rather consistent slab of drugged swagger, from the snide “Waiting”, to the ferocious “The Family Stone”, the chaotic “Hole In My Head”, and the hammering “RTFM” – and, mind, consistency is good. Very good. “Sunday”, however, drags on an exceptionally dirge-esque tempo, which rends its 3’40” running time to stretch almost infinitely; however, the track remains as thick and imposing as the rest of the EP.
For a healthy dose of unfiltered nastiness, give Home Brand a spin. Gravel Samwidge have graciously released the EP as a pay-what-you-want download on Bandcamp. |
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