Tuesday, December 13, 2011

DBCR - Two song EP - Self Released

This single came in from Kenneth with a nice note on the reverse side of a miniflyer to a show DBCR played at the Charleston. This kind of dirty punk rock (that's recorded really separated and clean) has been living in that basement for years.
I was talking with someone outside Death by Audio the other day about how much the surrounding neighborhood has changed, and I have the same sentimental feelings about The Charleston, I hope it somehow sticks around for a while. A lot of friends and great bands have passed through, metal and otherwise, playing the low ceiling, full of kegs basement. I don't feel like I'm even in the city anymore, it's someone's random punk house in the middle of nowhere. The single from these guys makes me feel the same way, I'm glad they exist, this kind of enthusiastic DIY punk that made spaces like ABC NoRio possible.

The A-Side of this one, "Let Them Eat Bikes" is that DIY call to arms, do something about this bullshit... a sarcastic chorus...lay it all out: denial of human rights, people living with AIDS....well, they can all eat bikes, which I guess is to say all the hipsters are giving up their fixies for food? Or the green environmentalists are trying to solve these problems with bikes, when we need some armed resistance instead? DBCR has a fast, hardcore wrist shaking riff under the near growly vocals, all bulging neck veins, grabbing the mic. You can hear they're putting everything into this. The channels are real separated here with the two guitars working practically on opposite sides of the fence. Dense protest lyrics, on one hand I really hope these guys are making some noise down at Occupy Wallstreet but they've probably been disillusioned years ago. You think a couple of tents are going to make a difference? So you're stuck in that Suburbia dilema...to bitch or not to bitch?

The B-side has a slower dirgey Dead Kennedys feel, when Jello would get extra creepy, singing in a cartoon elf voice about blackmarket organ sales. Slow picked distortion, a couple of dissonant melodies, half stops and more of those alientated lyrics...I appreciate this kind of protest and I also think it's pretty great they get to do it in the first place without actually being a target of the man. They're taking that mix of politics and punk headon....in a lot of ways they're already intertwined, but it's a fine line of ruining the message altogether. I don't know too many band that want to attempt it...even if it is the perfect historic time. You get no arguement from me about the 1%, but I still feel guilty that I even have the opportunity to bitch about it when I think about the rest of the world saying, "you america....you are the fucking 1%".

So to be stuck in the dark basement having your eardrums blown out with a slice of free Charlestpon pizza in your hand and a cheap beer in the other you can sort of maybe just appreciate that you have it pretty good after all. Sure, there's room for improvement, but you can go see DBCR and think about it.

On black vinyl, massive 7x7 b/w cardstock insert and download card... listen to me the collector scum I am.
Get it from their bandcamp page.

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