Monthly Archives: January 2018

VV Torso Charge Out of the Gate with Debut, VVLP

VV Torso, LPVV (Jurassic Pop)

Photo credit: Rachel Enneking

VV Torso, a four-piece hailing from Indianapolis, self-describe as a combination of post-punk, no-wave and (in one of those ‘damnit, why didn’t I think of that first’ moments) “regret-hop”.  I first stumbled upon the band courtesy of the mighty Post-Trash, who premiered their track, “Boy”, back in August.  That track served as both a debut and an appetizer for the band’s debut album, LPVV, released in October on the Cleveland-based Jurassic Pop label (home of past faves like TV Ghost).

Their label bio states, in part, that the band was originally conceived as a performance compliment to vocalist Natty Morrison’s poetry (Morrison is also a professional creative writer so, no pressure on, like, the words here or, um…).   On LPVV, Morrison’s spoken word/bark is pushed, stretched and provoked by his bandmates’ (Brent Smith, Gareth Ney and Tom Lageveen) propulsive, tightly-wound post-punk (think early Gang of Four and Killing Joke) into a 10-song set that’s simultaneously in your face and nonchalant.  Morrison’s tone is reminiscent of Protomartyr’s Joe Casey, and with his arch – sometimes baleful – poesies (closing track, “Giant”, includes lines like “he’s going to the war/with a violin as a weapon” and “he’s in an art museum…/he’s in a grass-roots rebellion against a free market economy”), he is become a kind of heartland™ John Cooper Clarke.  Smith’s guitar is a frequent scene-stealer, a dizzying combination of stabbed stutter, freewheeling improv and restrained melody that often morphs into a third member of the rhythm section.  It’s an exciting release, placing the band in line with fellow midwestern travelers like Pere Ubu.

Grab a copy of LPVV here, and check out all things ‘Torso’ on the band’s fbook page.  Album cut, “Blood”, also appears on the new Post-Trash comp, proceeds from which will benefit the Maria Fund for hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.  Why not both?

Highlights include:  “Success”; “Object”; “Wish Machine”; “Giant”; “Taper”.

Album Review: “Rot”, by Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys

Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys, Rot (What’s Your Rupture?; R.I.P. Society; Agitated Records)

Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys are a four-piece hailing from Sydney, featuring members of bands including Royal Headache and Red Red Krovvy.  Following on 2013’s great debut, Ready for Boredom, the group released Rot this past November, and it’s amazing.

Rot finds the band barreling through an 11-song, 30 minutes and change set of fuzzed-out power pop that recalls folks like Wreckless Eric or a punkier Replacements.  The combination of the raw, strained emotion in singer Joe Sukit’s voice over the grin-inducing melodies crafted by guitarist Ben Warnock is a potent one, and the band pulls off wry piss takes like “Expanding Horizons” and “Company”, and wistful reflections like opener “Away” and album highlight, “Device”, with equal aplomb.  As closer, “Turn of the Page” ascends to an extended call and response between saxophone and a crunchingly beautiful solo worthy of ‘Starry Eyes’, the album leaves you with a hopeful sense that, despite leaving some scars, its titular degeneration is clearing.

Rot is available now, courtesy of a trio of labels: What’s Your Rupture? (US/Canada), R.I.P. Society (Australia, New Zealand) and Agitated (UK/EU) – pick your fave currency and buy a copy.  The group also have a few tour dates coming up down under (sorry) – you can find them on the band’s fbook page.

Highlights include:  “Victoria”; “Away”; “Device”.

Preoccupations Announce “New Material” (Literally); Share “Espionage”

Site fave Preoccupations recently announced that their new full-length – cleverly titled New Material – will release March 23, courtesy of Jagjaguwar and Flemish Eye (in Canada).  To tide us over until then, the band have also shared the Nathan David Smith-produced video (below) for new track, “Espionage”, which incorporates the album’s artwork, by Calgary-based designer Marc Rimmer.

The track itself feels typically unsettled, structurally calling to this mind a kind of industrial-edged Heaven 17.  The lyrics feel desolate (singer Matt Flegel has described the album as an “ode to depression and self-sabotage”), with a defiant call and response between lead and backing vocals rising to a persistent call for “change”.  Whether this defiance brings catharsis or is a mere kick out against the pricks is open for debate.

You can pre-order New Material now, and make sure to catch Preoccupations on one of their forthcoming tour dates.