|
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here, we discuss a redux of a very fine track from a very fine band.
Written by: The Administrator Gosh. I love when a band issues a remixed and revitalized redux of an older track, and I particularly love when this very same scenario occurs with a track that I love from a band that, indeed, I love. Mothman and The Thunderbirds is a project that this particular scribe has enjoyed greatly from inception, and I'm firmly of the mind that everything under the Mothman moniker is exceptionally well done. 2021's debut Into The Hollow embraced a willingness to explore, and everything since--the (objectively perfect) cover of "96 Quite Bitter Beings," the dynamic split with World Eaters, the trippier "Gazer" EP*--continue the trend of good music that doesn't feel particularly confined by anything other than the quality of that which came before. So, then. Into this equation enters a redux of, arguably, one of my favorite tracks from Into The Hollow, featuring the remixing and remastering chops of Egor Lappo. "The Simpsons = Real Hollow" is an anomaly in the midst of the original tracklist, as guest vocals are provided by Kirby, wife of project leader Alex Parkinson. Promo material calls said vocal performance "soaring" and "sardonic," both apt descriptors. I would add "youthful"--not unrefined or adolescent, but rather filled to the brim with the kind of jubilant enthusiasm that feels almost impossible to contain. The original featured excellent vocals, and the redux'd version truly allows Kirby's voice to shine, contrasting wonderfully with Alex's bellowed backing interjections while sitting nicely in the mix. The chorus is catchy as fuck. Otherwise, the new version feels crisp and clean across the board. Alex's new bassline pummels with significantly more oomph. The track's rockin' central riff carries itself with the same familiar momentum--an urgency that doesn't quite let up, lending the whole track an energetic edge. This is the mix/master that the track deserves, and another testament to the quality of Lappo's work. As mentioned in our review of "96 Quite Bitter Beings," this outsourced production adds a notable level of polish. It sounds great. 'Nuff said. Mothman and The Thunderbirds - "The Simpsons = Real Footage (2023 Redux) was released Sept. 22nd, 2023, and can be found here. You can also listen below! How convenient is that?
0 Comments
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a delightfully slimy death metal EP.
Written by: The Administrator
The roster of underground death metal bands that deserve more attention is nigh-infinite, and while underappreciation is inevitable, everyone needs to stop sleeping on Cork's own Bodydrinkers. In an attempt to remedy this scenario, we slumbering scribes try our hand at rousing the masses. Wake up! Plug this into your earholes! A mere three tracks, Swamp Hammer is nonetheless a beast. The titular track kicks things off with glorious belligerence, a churning muscular barrage accompanied by an engaging range of vocal delivery. The riffage roils with pythonian strength, and while delivering an effective bludgeoning, the track does not overstay its welcome. My personal favorite track, the follow-up "Byzantine Blinding," opts for a slower yet no less pugilistic angle. The vocals here are truly monstrous, and play inordinately well off the massive surge of instrumentation. Closer "Bio Terroristic Occult Sermon" threads the needle between the two extremes, delivering a slightly more grindy and unhinged take on Bodydrinkers' apparent trademark aggression. The variety presented herein is quite enjoyable, and the short runtime simply isn't enough. I crave more. Given the EP title and slimy descriptor, I was admittedly expecting a little more sludgy lumbering and dripping riffage, but as a fan of the mire, that's on me. What we get instead is top-notch stuff, no bones about it. Swamp Hammer is delightfully aggressive and takes no prisoners in the sonic bombardment department. I highly recommend checking this one out! Listen here and snag a tape from (the illustrative) Fiadh Productionshere. Bodydrinkers - Swamp Hammer was released January 20th, 2023 (Digital) and June 2nd, 2023 (Cassette) via Fiadh Productions
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of an aggressive and crushing and seething EP.
Written by: The Administrator
There are several trigger phrases existing in the world of music promo that activate a deep and primal need to drop everything and listen immediately. One such heretofore unknown phrase is the dangerous "FFO Napalm Death/Godflesh," which Noosed unsuspectingly dropped in a brief message in regards to their new EP. Consider this particular agent activated on an immediate basis. I don't even have time to allow the headphones to connect; you already know I'm playing this shit through the phone speaker. Let's fuckin' go. Noosed play an abrasive and intrinsically violent conglomerate of noise, grind, crust, and sludge. There's a massive presence to the low end that feels oppressive on the basis of mere proximity. The riffage grinds with the sheer heft of damp cement. The percussion stomps forward with a grim intensity, like unto cast-iron industrial revolution machinery gone rogue. The vocals are raw and belligerent, yet tinged with a nihilistic sense of despair that lends an overall nuance to the project. The use of vocal samples is also a huge strong suit when it comes to driving home the thematic overtones. Although brief and fairly blistering, OMEN bludgeons with a sense of somber nuance. It's not industrial and it's not sludge, but it does a damn good job at sitting uncomfortably somewhere betwixt the two. Of course, OMEN is far from polished. That's arguably the crux of the project's inherent charm. There's a tangible rawness and strain seeping from these four-tracks-plus-an-intro, and that undiluted emotive weight certainly strikes a chord. Not an easy listen per se, but one worth immersing yourself in. Noosed - OMEN was released may 5th, 2023. Find it here! 
Written by: Continuous Thunder
As a self-proclaimed aficionado of slow metal here in the Village, I find sludge metal to be one of the more intriguing sub-genres. While it’s often described as a combination of doom metal and hardcore punk, the application of those influences can vary widely from artist to artist. Naturally, this leads to a diverse pool of artists that can be described as sludge. How else would you end up with bands like Melvins and Isis under the same umbrella? I’m not usually one to stress over the minutiae of hyper-specific sub-genres and when it comes to sludge, I tend to trust my ears and I know it when I hear it. All that being said, They Grieve bring some heavy sludge. 
Written by: The Administrator
The esteemable Heron are a perpetually underrated gem, and a band that continues to make its mark on our ink-splattered populace. Back in the primordial days of ye olde Sleeping Village, we briefly reviewed their (very good) A Low Winter's Sun, and in the early days of the pandemic, the excellent Time Immemorial received the Volt Thrower treatment and stamp of approval. It's my continuing assumption that everything Heron does is inherently high quality, and this latest album, Empires of Ash, may very well be their strongest and most consistent album to date. If you have enjoyed their back catalog, you'll inevitably find a lot to love with this latest. If Heron are a yet-unknown entity in your rolodex of sludgy post-metal bands, this album makes for a fantastic entry point. 
Written by: The Administrator
Each year, I inevitably spend a whole lot o' time with EPs. Is this due to my bafflingly short attention span? Yes. Is it also because EPs often feel like the perfect vehicle for a band to flaunt their strengths in a concise and well-trimmed manner? Also yes. Listening to a well-constructed EP is perhaps my favorite way to spend time with music, and so here I am, an eclectic collection of favorites gripped in outstretched grubby fingers. But first, some housekeeping! There are, assuming I counted correctly, 30 entries. I was planning on 20, but have no real interest in trimming a list of untrimmable favorites. In that spirit, hopefully you find something here that worms its way into your favorites as well. This list is not sorted by genre despite featuring a lot of different genres. I apologize for the whiplash, but sorting feels antithetical to the overall notion that listening habits should not be confined for the sake of convenient lists. And lastly, this is utterly unranked--if something appears here, please know that it comes highly, highly recommended! Anyways. Let's get into it. 
Written by: The Administrator
Let's start with the obvious. As anyone you has listened to their music will attest, attempting to pigeonhole or pin down Horned Wolf in the span of a mere introductory paragraph (or, indeed, the span of a whole review) is a fairly fruitless activity. This crew demonstrates little regard for genre expectation or compositional convention on Become Like They Are, and, as a result, their work sticks out from the crowd in a big way. To be markedly different and hence produce unique results is always an excitingly quality. Refreshing, even. I'll be upfront: I've spent a lot of time with this album this year. A scary amount. If it tops my list o' most listened albums, I won't be surprised in the slightest. If the brilliant title track isn't my most consumed song of the year, I'll eat my boots. Paradoxically, though, this obsessive listening has been to the detriment of my actual ability to wrap up the review. The "listening for enjoyment" phase never really ended, and the "listening for writing" phase never truly began in earnest. In retrospect, this is obviously a Very Good problem to have, as much of the time spent with Become Like They Are has been pure and unadulterated by notions of my own imposed narrative framing or turns of phrase. But! In any case, here we are. Let's get the fuck into it already.
Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be--and have been--listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!
On the docket for today, June 24th, 2022: PAGANIZER, Horned Wolf, Tabahi, and 10,000 Years
This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of an excellent cover track.
Written by: The Administrator
Holy shit, I really dropped the ball on this one. The mighty Mothman and the Thunderbirds releases a certifiably sick cover track and I don't react for, like, nine months? Better late than never, I suppose, but this is pretty embarrassing. In any case. While I'm not a huge CKY fan per se, no one amongst us can deny the sheer catchiness of their debut single. Indeed, "96 Quite Bitter Beings" contains, somewhat devilishly, one of the singlemost infectious riffs of all time. Stack it up against any of the common suspects, I don't give a damn. Listen to the OG intro once and it is stuck in your head for the better part of a decade, bopping around with wild and persistent abandon. Rather than letting a righteous earworm die, Alex Parkinson takes that very same riff and dives right in, unleashing it once more in all its jubilant glory. This track has bounce and pep, and with production in the capable hands of Egor Lappo, the guitar is crisp as ever-living fuck. From a production standpoint, this sounds significantly more polished than the (excellent) Into the Hollow. Despite my affection for the band's sludgy origins, I love how fresh and clean this cover sounds on the first half, where it does not deviate particularly far from the original track. That said, the back end quickly floods over into increasingly metallic environs, with rolling drums and a general stompiness that utterly craters CKY's milder vibes across the bridge. Regardless of whether or not you hold "96 Quite Bitter Beings" in the the same nostalgic shrine dedicated to MTV/Pro Skater aesthetic of the very early aughts, this cover is worth your while. Mothman and the Thunderbirds has improved on the original solely by benefit of intriguing and climatic composition, and the stellar musicianship and production don't hurt either. As an homage and a reinvention, it is excellent. Check it out here! Mothman and the Thunderbirds - 96 Quite Bitter Beings was released Sept. 28th, 2021
Every Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with our sustenance for the following week. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some of our choice picks from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be--and have been--listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so!
On the docket for today, June 10th, 2022: Yatra, Dust Prophet, Adamantis, and Pillärs
|
WELCOME!We provide thoughtful reviews of music that wakes us from slumber. Written by a highfalutin peasantry. Archives
July 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed