VR SEX : "Hard Copy"

 Andrew of Drab Majesty has expanded this from a project into an actual band that now grants things more of an organic punk feel. The album certainly opens in a manner that suggests the punk in post-punk is what is getting most of the emphasis here. "Hush Money Millionaire" is another song that pushes it in more of a 70s punk direction. They back from this into a moodier rock feel for "Inanimate Love". It feels like by slowing things down, the more deliberate approaches help the song.  The songs are not three-minute ditties, but allow some room to jam out and create a mood. The lyrics touching on topics like necrophilia are on the darker end of the spectrum, which so far might be my favorite thing about this album. 

Then they are back to the dirty alleys where punk branched off from rock on a song like "Squid Row", which is about slum lords. "Real Doll Time" finds them back closer to the sonic zip code of traditional punk, but with a more mod feel on the chorus. They jam with the intent to drone by the end of the song. 'Runaway Runaway" stalks you with a creepier tension. The guitars add odd touches of melodic nuance, to create a weird rainbow of sound. It is the first song I think bears mentioning the psychedelic aspects of where everything up to this point has been dark garage punk. The jams begin to feel like the eyes of a pervert who allows his stare to linger over his prey long enough to feel uncomfortable. 

These feelings make you rethink the meaning of titles like "Space Invasion". Which is about a home invasion, not UFOS. There is enough surreal guitar effects to make you think either might be the case unless you listen closer to the lyrics. Then the lyrics begin to reference the perspective of a stalker stalking their stalker. The drugs kick in and begin to cause psychosis in the trippy breakdown. "Jenny Killer Glue" is such a bizarre song title I paid closer attention to the lyrics to decipher what it might be about. The vocals are almost more spoken as they ponder what drugs Jenny is putting up her nose. The answer seems to be a special glue. The games they play with feedback are not unlike those A Place to Bury Strangers also peddles. 

"In Great Detail" finds him putting more effort into singing. They are still cruising the streets to this early 80s vision of punk. The last track is just ambient noise creating an outro, this could have spun out from the previous song without being its own track. I will give this album a 9, and see how it grows on, so far it's a funny reminder of the ghosts of punks past. 

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VR SEX : "Rough Dimension"

 Opener of the new album strikes me as being darker. The vocals carry more disdain in the narrative. There is a straightforward punk feel to the second song "Glutton for Love".  It is however colored by new wave synths. The vocals remained buried under the layers of sound. There is more melodic guitar to "Live (in a dream)" that gives a dynamic sidestep from the punk formula that sounded in place for the first two songs.  Where his other band Drab Majesty has a bigger sound that throws it back more to the 80s, things are more compressed and sonically tense. For 'Walk of Fame" that get closer to where Drab Majesty comes from. It is even more impressive when things take on a denser fuzz. It almost sounds like a different song. Not the smoothest transition but balanced out for the overall sound. 

"Crisis Stage" kind of splits the difference between the two moods we have heard from this album. The vocals are lower and bleaks though we are Knight riding over the synth groove. The guitar flirts with the edges of the song. It is pretty much all hinging on the bass line, which is not uncommon for post-punk. The vocal hook is pretty cool. When things end up reverting back to a more punk place it does not feel as well written on "Taste of Hate".  The multi tracked vocals work for what they are doing and have a better place in the mix. 

The mood to "Snake Water" does get darker and angrier, but it also focuses more on the sounds being captured rather than where the song needs to go in order to have more dimension. The album is about the seedy under belly of LA, which no one should be surprised about. The tempo for the last song picks. The production is a little murkier. It falls back into the direction this album began on. I will give this album an 8.5, perhaps it will grow on me and I will rethink it then, but it does not feel as inspired as the first album. 

 

the Top 10 Post- Punk Albums of 2019

It's that time of year again .  It might seem earlier to start this in Novemeber , but record labels have pretty much senr me most of what this year has to offer already , by the time I am done sorting  through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I will use  them, to compile the top 10 albums of the year. I know many of you are ready for 2019 to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year..  The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more.

After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However  I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No,  I do not care what you think about it.   I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list  and  have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 post-punk  albums of 2019 .

10- Silence in the Snow - "Levitation Chamber"

When reviewing post -punk the first thing I ask of the the band is what are you doing  that is not Joy Division or Siouxsie. The vocals are going to be the challenge as they are on the Siouxsie , but the atmosphere and drumming compensate.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/silence-in-snow-levitation-chamber.html

  9-Blood Ponies - "Hoax"

 This duo does not rely on the punk in the equation too much but not forgetting it either. The album opens with a low synth like bass frequency. Then comes the looming baritone vocals and single note guitar melody as the drums create a hypnotic pattern . One thing I like about this band more than your average post punk revivalist faction is the vocals more aggressive tendencies. Sometimes these are mixed into the background, others they roar out with more anger than you typically associate with the current state of this genre, thus giving them the edge for the number 9 spot.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-blood-ponies-hoax.html

8-Dark Blue - "Victory is Rated"


 The resonate vocals of John Sharkey of Clockcleaner fame are the first things that once again catch me with this band. The band also features former members of Ceremony, though these guys have such a warm melodic feel to their moodiness it is hard to hear those punk roots. They continue to get right what most post-punk revival bands miss.The second song finds them coming closer to a more rock style not unlike the louder moments of Interpol,even delving into Brit pop.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/dark-blue-victory-is-rated.html

7- Elizabeth Color Wheel-"Nocebo 


 This band of Boston hipsters  sounds like they should be from Brooklyn in how they blend all the coolest genres the kids in the coffee shop are talking about. The core of the first track is post-punk, with shimmer bits of post rock that has black metal aspirations though is neither dark or hateful enough to reach that . I know my tone can confuse people at times, so all of that doesn't mean I don't like it. In the swirl of sounds is something unique. When they do not get noisy they are capable of taking familiar sounds and making them something special. This is what gave them the number 7 spot.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/elizabeth-colour-wheel-nocebo.html

6- VR Sex - "Human Traffic Jam"


 This California band's album opens with something closer to death rock, with ghoulishly crooned vocals and almost new wave guitars. Things to do not end their so it was hard to label their sound. What felt post defining was the sardonic social commentary their songs carried. The picture they paint made an intriguing but not easy listen and I respect that, they took more chance than most which landed them here.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/05/vr-sex-human-traffic-jam.html

5- Ceremony- "in the Spirit World Now" 


 This is very different. But musically miles of growth. I guess it is going to depend on how much you want these guys to be a punk. I guess there is some 70s punk in there. They have always had some post-punk in their sound. Now there is way more post than punk. Synths play a larger role. Female vocals crop up. There are also some funky groove on the title track. This album grew on me with each listen and beats out VR Sex as songwriting is more key than weirdness.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/ceremony-in-spirit-world-now.html

4-Hey Colossus- "Four Bibles"


 This one starts off with a heavier thump that is more in line with Failure's harder efforts. Then things take on a more indie rock feel and these guys begin to have more in common with Interpol than Failure. The vocals are less indifferent than this other wise stiff and tense form of post punk. I like the more Police like guitar tone. All of these elements are combined in a way that is interesting enough to earn repeat listens and land them the number 4 spot.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/05/hey-colossus-four-bibles.html

3- Gold -"Why Aren't You Laughing"


 This album and the two above it were hard calls, as two of these three bands are at the creative peaks. These guys have a really wonderful song scope , when they rein in the atmosphere and give over to the anger that leads to the dark side then they are unstoppable. I appreciate the atmosphere and it helps make them who they are, which is a head above the waters the first seven bands were swimming in. It also relegates them to the number three spot.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/gold-why-arent-you-laughing.html

2- Swans - "Leaving Meaning" 


 This album was somewhat released in demo form as "What is This" . The proper versions prove to be much more refined and atmospheric. As reference earlier if these guys were at their creative peak they would be number one no contest. They are at a different place in their lives, yet Gira goes to a darker place than he has been since their return earlier in the decade.


 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-swans-leaving-meaning.html

1-Pleasure Leftists - 'the Gate"


 This album became the years best post-punk album by not trying to be post-punk. There is a more rock n roll touch, but the odd quirky tension is just a part of who they . The singer has greatly improved at crafted hooky melodies. There are still rough rough edges . They made no attempt top shine this up for public consumption and that add to the charm. The album grew on me with each listen and I found it competing on best of the year lists i was for other sites. It was a close call between these guys, Swans and Gold, as all 3 three bands put out really strong albums. The melodies of this had me coming back for more , with more frequency than the other two.



https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/07/pleasure-leftists-gate.html