Monday, July 6, 2020

Stuck : "Change is Bad"






More math rock. This time with a more reserved in their ambitions  and less distorted flair. Elements of many 90s bands ranging from Drive Like Jehu to June of 44.  The bass player is into Gang of Four. Less desperate and explosive than Fugazi, but embracing similar dynamics in some of the jerky grooves they hit you with, along with vocals that are not shouted but not quite sung either. "Dimed ' is the first song where they fully commit to punk. It's flirted with on the song before this , but it works more of tension. Even when I say here it is the era of punk when they cared about song writing, not just garge spastics. By era when they cared about song writing I am not referring to when punk went to the other end of the spectrum with Blink 182 and became pop.

They do get more melodic on "Bug Song" not emo, but in that late 90s sonic space. When I heard the buzz about these guys , people were talking about their drummer, but it is really their bass player who carries these songs. The guitar playing is pretty decent. They make some interesting angular choices and have a great tone through out. It is a well produced album, but an oddly produced onas well. There is kinda of a grungey feel to the title. By grunge , think Mudhoney. Though more angular than those guys. Lyrically I have not been paying any attention to what this guys is ranting about. They are back to a more herky jerky Gang of Four thing on "Wrong Question" . They are more aggressive than lets say Menzingers, but far from the Exploited.

"Plank 1 " is another side of punk. One with a more street wise attitude. "Anniversary" has one cool kinda Neil Young like riff, but other wise is the only song that doesn't really connect with me. The bass line to last song has a great deal of drive and the guitar compliments, but at this point I am kinda burned out on the vocals. I will still give this album a 9 as vocals can be somewhat forgiven with punk and I get what they are doing . I think the other sings this album has going for it musically compensates.

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