the Serfs : "Half Eaten by Dogs"

 This album by the Ohio band opens with a proto-punk jangle. The vocals are half fading into the static buzz of guitar. There is more of a punk attitude to it than garage rock, but it bears a similar rough edged organic feel. The second song finds things shifting to a more minimal pulse where the vocals are shouted in reverbed pulses. The guitars are less crucial and things drone more. What you hear is what you get with this band, while things vary song to song, the mood the introduce tends to not change one they get started. "Suspension Bridge Collapse" is a challenging blend of synth voicings that shuffled around each other in a stoned lethargy. The vocal narrative is disconnected from what is going on around it. 

"Beat Me Down" reminds me of a mix between the Rolling Stones and New Order. This means there is more rock n roll substance to the song. The vocals have more purpose. It almost grooves more than drones, which is enough to keep my interest. They stick to their songwriting formula of just riding things out and adding more odd layers. "Spectral Analysis" finds a more metallic ring to the lo-fi drum machine sound. There is a greater sense of atmosphere that recalls  Brian Eno era Roxy Music. The vocal however are more spoken than crooned. 

"Club Deuce" is the first moment I can imagine inspiring dancing. It is also less organic, though the synths on first listen sound to be analog. Female vocals moan faintly in the background. They have nailed captured the underground 80s sound. The keep the dance party going with "Electric Like an Eel". The one dimensional nature of their dynamics making more sense here. "Ending of the Stream" is more like a droning interlude. "the Dice Man Will Become" feels more like something from the Cure's first album with it's more punk shuffle. This might be the album's best song. It is also the first song that really fucks with dynamics, but building back up. "Mocking Laughter" that closes the album pretty much just drones off the one riff. I will give this album an 8, it's a fun enough listen and I appreciate what they are doing, even though it's pretty basic in it's punk attitude toward song writing.