PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[k.p.g]

I have placed an order for SoP before, but exploring the Pogus catalogue for other titles might be my move for lunch break.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

Borbetomagus - Seven Reasons For Tears (Agaric, 1989)

Quartet formation of Jim, Don, and Donald with Adam Nodelman on Bass. Adam only appeared on three releases with the group. Live in Allentown, the Fish That Sparkling Bubble album with Voice Crack, and this album.

It can be hard to tell what sounds are Donald and what are Adam, but the contributions from the guitarists are prominent on this release. There is good use of channeling of electronic sounds and effects through the guitars. During certain moments, it feels like the guitars are acting more as a synth or utlizing the pedals as the main instrument to add more coloring which gives this album it's unique sound.

Brute force is occassionaly side-stepped for a more exploratory and experimental approach on the album. The hellfire isn't completely gone, but it feels more like a tightly controlled burn on Seven Reasons. There is also more of a collective sound from the group with the individualism being downplayed to an extent.

The tracks lengths and sequencing of the album are interesting. There are no 20-minute jam sessions. The opener and closer are 9-10 minutes, but the five tracks that make the meat of this album range between only 4-5 minutes. I generally enjoy it as the group remains hyper-focused when they perform in these smaller windows. The material on Zurich was performed in a similar fashion, and I think made that album very successful as it does here on Seven Reasons. It feels like the band explores more ideas and covers more sonic territory.

With all of the vast territory this disc does cover, it does ends with an absolute brutish scorcher!

It's funny because on the first spin of this album, I wasn't 100% sure what to make of it, but I immediately played it through again. It's kind of a funny album to pinpoint. It's not super harsh, and it's not soft, but it plays in this interesting middle ground that I really enjoyed. There is a lot of detail to unravel on this one.

I'll finish this one off with a quote from the liner notes written by Byron Coley of Forced Exposure who said, "Imagine this record as a log that's been sharpened by magic, hardened but fire and is just aching to drive itself through yr chest."

[Krigsverk]

Scum F.C. - Not beating the allegations (self released CDr?)

Short CDR that is mostly metal/junk abuse and some very fucked up lyrical content - fucked up in the way it was recorded, sounds like some serioulsy broken equipment in action, quite charming. Also some seriuosly looooooooow frequencies appear around halfways into the thing, my subwoofer had a serious workout. We are talking 30-40 herz here, like almost not audible, but you feel it massaging your guts. All in all, quite nice but way too short.

[k.p.g]

Various - Punk's Dead, You're Next (Reanimated Miscarriage)
Glorious noisecore compilation that leans more into the hard and heavy than anything silly.  There is still some humor to be had, as there are "radio call-ins" akin to a Three 6 Mafia skit.  RM has a real knack for putting these compilations together, and this one is a testament to why.

Max Julian Eastman - Beth & the Street Lounges (self-released)
Long-form absurdism from the Tribe Tapes CEO; it trades in any dynamic flare that more mainline Eastman releases have, but more than makes up for it with how the sounds seep into the listener's environment over time.  "Domestic noise" is a term that has been long associated with Max's work, and a tape like this exemplifies why.  With so much repetition and simplicity of sound, these recordings eventually feel like they are a part of everyday routine to the listener.  When you catch the record going on, you find some really great noises crawling through.  Art to accompany is also one of the nicer "refusions" I have seen the artist make too.  Good stuff.