Negative Scanner on Trouble In Mind Records

I really appreciate the eclectic mix of artists on Trouble in Mind, I'm still listening to the '80s pop 3108 record that just came out not to mention the baroque psych of Jacco Gardener or prog garage of The Resonars for that matter but then they go and drop something like this single from Negative Scanner, a hyper precise punk and I have to remind myself not to start assuming anything about a single release except where to paypal.

A-Side's "Ambitious People" launches right into the track with metallic heavy jangle guitar with incredible vocals from Rebecca Valeriano-Flores yelling abstract bursts rising in intensity with a Sex Pistols prime '70s cut sounding chord change - a real punk ride up the scale. They let these strings fly bouncing all over the boards, the clang and rattly vibrations intact through this high tempo precision punk. All I can hear is that bass rattle like they mic'd the strings themselves. Rebecca's vocal is perfect, switching from a melodic style to a rapid fire burst of punching syllables. These guitars seem to take a hint from that structure and equally strum all the way to hard choppy sections. It's such a plowing forward punk that wastes no time, there's nothing extra, no embellishments, just dense and pure. "Evening News" comes on such intensity and massive punk fast leanings with a lot more melody in this one and a vibrato waver in the vocal, which is fantastic like a restrained Shannon and the Clams. She's got a naturally gifted vocal with power and a delicate touch when she wants it. Like a combination of Love is All and Chin Chin frantic and not overly hardcore or distortion just for it's own sake, it's that great talented balance of ... and thats how this track ends literally in the middle of a verse. Wow talk about leaving you wanting more.

B-Side's "R.I.P" cuts big riffs in pieces, even more of a bumpy ride, a string of potholes scored as toms and incredibly Rebecca's vocal doesn't seem to follow any of this coming up with a barrage of spit and punch on their own, in conversational rapid bursts. The guitar has a moment to breathe and you hear a hardcore Feelies or Pylon's weird origin which was folk informed new wave, one foot in the past of hardcore and the other in some kind of unknown future. All as incredibly fast as possible, the perfect material and delivery on a EP like this that's hard to forget.

Get this from TROUBLE IN MIND Records - OUT TODAY

Is there a full length coming? You bet. 2015.