If there was an awards show for overall garage pop rock MVP, a real one man show from beginning to end I would open the nominations with Adam Widener. Adam not only plays every instrument on all of his singles and has toured with Bare Wires but designs some really impressive packaging including this 3D single. You know those old school 3D glasses? Well, what if you pressed the record with those exact split colors so the record was the glasses to look through at the 3D sleeve! Such a great idea and I think we talked about the early inceptions of the idea back about a year ago. Amazing to see this actually happened and couldn’t wait to throw this one on the turntable.
A-Side "Death Kontrol" marks Adam’s return with another round of fiery power pop, crisp as hell, the jerky chords bobbing and weaving. Heavy hitting rapid fire machine gun snare and kick all in perfect time with his power pop Elvis Costello, Jeff Novak vocal that hints at snotty glam punk roots. Completely precise in perfectly square cut blocks that somehow feel a little bit out of control in speed and this flavor of sour berry bubblegum. A super surf sound, reverb and riding up the chord scales on the guitar, a nervous energy that feels like the tape or studio time is about to run out any second. You got one shot kid, make it count. "Lets Talk About Punk" has a crazy tight delay on the vocals; lots of psych sounding harmonies on this one delivered at hyper speed. The loose, raw psych feel is almost lost in favor of a tight, glam sound. Restless surf with high hat and kick off beat, talking to himself as two sides of a telephone call about punk records! I love that Adam just picks that kind of throwaway sentiment and runs with it. The kind of things the most memorable tracks are made of. We like punk records. Lets talk!
B-Side's “Gimmee Gimmee Scientific Stuff" has bursts of reverse delay guitar?! Adam has such great guitar tones on this record as usual with even a hint of synth or glitch electronics happening here. He’s a real complex player, which is reflected vocally in this speedy delivery riding the crest of this two-step punk. The guitar is angular to the point of new wave especially when talking about “science stuff / the elements”. It’s a perfect downed electric wire, dangerous, punchy and changing direction on a dime. Adam included a nice note about this single being more produced than his last record, which came together in a hotel room, but honestly this is as impressive as the last. Don't try to temper expectations! We all knew this was going to be great and we've been waiting months to hear this thing! The final track, "Oxygen Tank Oil Drum" lays distortion on thick over the vocal with staccato guitar in a jumpy, Devo sound for the final cut on this schizophrenic punk dance party.
The split colors on this genius idea are a little too opaque to quite work, but I tried some damn powerful lighting and you get the idea. Has to be the first time I’ve ever heard of anyone even attempting this, and it’s the kind of genius that comes through in all of these tracks as well.
Pick this up from Sexy Baby Records. Full length from Adam in the works!
No comments:
Post a Comment