Cash Cow Records, who has recently relaunched their label after a lengthy 13 year hiatus is back with this split single from two bands I've sadly never heard out of Denver, CO...there is definitely some angry, alienated Albini stylings in the water out there, and it's actually surprising now that I hear this more bands aren't carrying that torch. Steve couldn't possibly have explored every aspect to that minimal, aggressive sound.
Lion Sized's offering, 'Three bed, Two bath' is a massive abrupt stop start produced Les Savy Fav or Hot Snakes frantic rock sound, right down to the vocals...huge punches of percussion in a scientifically sine wave balanced room. Dirty...raw bass where the strings are vibrating, it's actually sitting on top of the mix, right next to the vocal, clean as day. Immediately this made me want to go hear Action Park...again. The same volume and craft is present here...with more energy...a different kind of immediate pacing. Shellac seems to take a slow burn approach, hitting you when you least expect..right in the speaker cone. Like the little breakdown section which drives that messy bass home...it feels like they've been at this for years, and really deserve some attention for this thing....that goes for both of these guys.
I love the end of this track, they stop on a dime and you hear drum sticks drop and cables pulled out of jacks...when they're done, they mean it, break that shit down quick.
Accordion Crimes bring a similar clean crunch, dark alley sound with their track 'Academy', these guys go in s different Gang of Four severe direction, when they break into syllable bursts of ultra-post punk, statement driven spoken word... 'I would kill for an original thought.' Metal electric guitar scrapes chords over unnatural drums that are all punches... as hard as possible. It builds to a cathartic final verse...he means it. Literally he's going to kill someone. Shellac is definitely haunting the magnetic particles in that reel to reel box on the sleeve. This one might even be more bass centric than Lion Sized...where do both of these bands get off letting the bassists write songs? I mean, who knew they had it in them?
These are best played loud of course, mastered by Bob Weston (ah ha) it's really a perfect split...these two must play together in CO, and if that's the case, I couldn't imagine a better live show. All this leads me to believe Denver has some angry and cold underpinnings, both of these bands are playing with such measured expression, nothings wasted on excess or god forbid...emotion. Can I even go further and use it as some kind of metaphor for the country? Well...it makes sense.
There's a lot of frustration out there.
If the bank foreclosed on your house, get this one from Cash Cow Records. It's only $5. It's the only thing besides devil alcohol that will make you feel better.
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