PEARS, Go To Prison LP

Review by Beert

*Note: This album is played on 45, not 33. Although, Go To Prison is pretty heavy when you play it at 33.3 rpm.

I had heard this band before. This LP was put out by the Anxious and Angry podcast, and Pears are played with some regularity. So, in my mind, I had an idea of what to expect, if you consider listening to a podcast through cheap earbuds while a letter-sorting machine is roaring at you at 3am as a form of hearing this band.

The first song, “You’re Boring,” is blazing. I hate to compare bands to other bands, but I can hear a mix of Behead The Prophet No Lord Shall Live with some of NoMeansNo’s kookier off-tempo-ness, and a big hit of Propagandhi. “You’re Boring” is a good blend and unexpected. But, before you know it, you’re moving on to the second song, “Victim To Be,” which is very anthemic. I can see huge circle pits during this song. Fast verses and sing-along-choruses. While “You’re Boring” screams by at under a minute, “Victim To Be” stretches out to about two and a half minutes. It is enough to make you like the song, but not too long so you wish it was over. The speed, energy, and changes keep rolling throughout Go To Prison.

The song, “Terrible,” on side two, is a mix of screaming from the throat and then a quick turn into a melody. It is akin to the old cartoons when a plane is doing a nosedive out of control, and the airbrake lever is pulled which stops the plane in midair. It is fulfilling. Also on side two is a fun cover of “Judy Is A Punk” by the Ramones. I love when bands cover songs, but make it their own. This isn’t the best cover of this song, by any means, but it is enjoyable. “Grime Spree,” the song that finishes off Go To Prison, has me conflicted. It’s an okay song, but doesn’t seem to be a song that should end this album. Yet, the final line, “I Want To Lie Down,” and the way that the music has slowed to almost a sludge/doom sound make that the perfect way to end it.

This album lets you know that this band will come straight at you, right from the start. Pears’s style is a mix of many good elements—fast, screamy punk, with some off-tempo bits thrown in, and some decent singing. Pears come across as a modernized version of 1980s punk and hardcore. They have the same intensity and emotion, and the music is an updated sound that retains the razor’s edge that was 80s hardcore. This is one of the few, current punk bands that I enjoy. So many bands are filtered into so many sub-genres, while Pears is just a furious punk band. They take me back to the days when I could circle pit without losing my breath after one time around. The lyrics are well written. They are teeming with references to inner-self issues. But the writer is also self-aware enough to recognize emotion and conflict within. They are able to bring this out in a somewhat goofy way, while being reflective and sincere at the same time. The record makes you smile and feel compassionate at the same time.

It is a rare occurrence to find a band that is able to capture their live energy in a recording. And, I have never had the opportunity to see Pears, but Go To Prison has captured that presence and makes me want to see them.

Do I recommend Go To Prison? Definitely.

Would I see Pears live, if given the chance? Hell Yes.

An ideal pairing (pearing?) for a live show? I would love to see Pears and The Fleshies on the same bill.

Cheers!

Second pressing of this vinyl is available at www.anxiousandangry.com/products.

ROMERO, Take The Potion Lp

(Grindcore Karaoke Records)

Review by Beert

Disclaimer: I was way into this band prior to this album coming out. I had the privilege of playing a show with them in a small venue in my hometown, and drooled incessantly for this release to come out. The record will be 2 years old this year, but it is a vital part of my collection.

Romero plays a heavy/doom/stoner style of music, if it must be classified. Not only did I know I was going to enjoy this record from hearing their previous 7-inch release Solitaire (Triceratrax Records), but upon pulling the beautiful red vinyl from the album sleeve, it was encased in a black inner sleeve. This individuality was truly appreciated—no white inner sleeve like everyone else. This was going to be something special. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Right from the start of “Compliments & Cocktails,” you can’t help but start to bang your head, and feel butterflies in your stomach. The music starts a little fast and chaotic, and settles into some super catchy riffage. The tribal drums only add to this. And the vocals aren’t the typical guttural growling/screaming associated with this style of music. Jeff Mundt can sing. And his voice fits so well over the guitars and drums, it comes across as almost another instrument in the band. Not to disappoint, drummer Ben Brooks adds a deeper, gruffer vocal style, which fits together with Mundt’s singing.

The album continues on with so many hooks and catches, you can’t help but to immerse yourself in it. “Couch Lock,” the second song, starts off mellow, bringing your heart rate to a reasonable pace. It slowly builds into a heavy fucking song. Both vocalists screaming over each other, the music pummels you into loving this. “Couch Lock” then brings a well-tempoed guitar barrage that leads into one of the biggest hooks on the album.

Heavier and heavier as it moves, without resorting to super sludginess or extreme repetitiveness, Take The Potion should have you fully embraced and unaware of anything other than the music.

“Wheeling Dervish,” on side 2, has a nice psychedelic interlude, and then rebuilds into a monolith of audio. Definitely not taking away from the break in the marching of the monster that Romero brings, the slower and lighter breaks mid-song bring you back to the surface of your senses for a moment before you are once again immersed into heavy guitars and a rhythm section that drives you like a cruel boss heading up a prison chain-gang…yet you still beg for it.

Finishing up with “In The Heather” is brilliant. Again, heavy hooks abound. Like a rock ‘n’ roll meat locker. The vocal “Whoas” belted out by Mundt add what you didn’t know was missing. The song would be great without them, but once you hear them, “In The Heather” cannot exist without it.

This album continues to provide great songwriting and heart as it carries on. The layers that are built, song to song, are incredible. All members of Romero are very talented masters of their craft. I really cannot list one issue with this album to complain about.

Upon completion of Romero’s Take The Potion, I feel like taking a road trip in a fully loaded semi—a modern day incarnation of Jerry Reed’s “Snowman” from Smokey & The Bandit, with a “come along for the ride or get the fuck out of my way” attitude. Romero should be the theme music for Galactus, wherever he roams to devour planets.

If you weren’t a Romero fan from the start, Take The Potion will lead you down the path of righteousness and you will appreciate the heavy.

Merchandise, including the album reviewed, can be purchased at:

www.romeroisloud.com

Animal R&R – Parallax

Self-Released (2014)

Reviewed by, Jimmy “Explosive Diarrhea” B.

I recently went to see a couple of local Portland bands, Satan Spelled Backwards and Animal R&R. During their set, Animal R&R, announced they had CDs available for a price, but hugs were free. I, a paying customer, waited around for a few minutes after their set for the Lutskovsky brothers (guitars and vocals) to finish hugging all the cheap non-CD buying fuckers, and obtained a couple CDs.

The first thing I noticed about Parallax is the CD’s production. It’s a little bright for my taste, but it is still impressively good. It may be a personal problem, but I generally think less of a band if they produce a good record with bad production. With modern technology, there is no reason for a CD to ever have muddy sound (unless it is some black metal wankers doing it on purpose – fuckers!). Sorry for the angry, Kloghole like digression, now back to Parallax.

If I had to choose a couple of bands with similar styles, I would look to El Ten Eleven and Caspian, but these are not perfect comparisons. The sound of Animal R&R is familiar, but not easy to classify; I hear shoegaze, postrock, and indie rock. The band themselves claim emo, and postrock as major influences. But the distinction isn’t important. What matters is that they do their thing, whatever it is, quite well. The musicianship is superb. I particularly like the drums, but I am partial to drummers and bass players (What Rush fan isn’t?).

I find the drumming on Parallax to be not only exemplary, but also very interesting. The drummer is in constant motion; he is hitting something, usually a cymbal, at all times – he reminds me of a jazz drummer. In other words, there is one drum fill after another. However this does not translate into fast tempo songs. The songs on Parallax range from slow to mid tempo (generally in the same song). I don’t mean slow like Sleep or Low, but they are slower than your typical rock song. Most of the tracks on Parallax have a traditional structure. There are three parts, a slowish introduction, the crescendo, and a slower coda. This structure makes the songs somewhat predictable, but it is also necessary to create the emotional vibe or mood the band is going for. Also, contributing to the vibe on Parallax is an abundance of minor chords. The band may switch back and forth between major and minor, but those depressing minor chords are ever present. The feeling brought forth on Parallax is emotional and haunting rather than depressing. This is introspective music.

I was impressed enough with Animal R&R to approach them after the Portland show to ask if they minded me reviewing Parallax, something I have never done before. I was impressed by their musicianship and of course their offer of free hugs

If you desire a CD, contact the band at animalr&rband@animalrr.com or, pick one up at a show in the Portland, Oregon area – be sure to get your free hug as well.

For you digital downloaders,  get your Animal R&R digital fix at http://animalrr.bandcamp.com/album/parallax.