by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
There's something special about finding reflection in dissonance. A bleak epiphany is still an epiphany, and Media Jeweler are still radiant even in the ugliest of lights. They exist on a duality of biting sarcasm and biting abrasion, creating a beast that's both vicious and intelligent. In the three years between the release of $99 R/T Hawaii and their upcoming album 1-800-SUCCEED, not a lot changed for Los Angeles' genre defying quartet, but the world as we know continued to crumble at an alarming rate. Their new record, a mix of experimental hypnotic structures, noise pop, and post-punk rigidness, is a reflection that no matter how hard you may try, you just can't escape reality.
Media Jeweler's latest single, "Splayed Wayside" is full of their bright and aggressive tendencies, a song that jostles itself to life with a stuttering stop and start intro. The band work their magic, tumbling into a caustic groove, the guitars stabbing at the fractured rhythms as the lyrics come in quick couplets, "Splayed wayside / Stolen glance / Mouth agape / Moonlit trash". Sound fun? You can sing along together with the band's karaoke video. The song breaks free from it's own opposing forces, eventually tangling together into a swarm of grinding bass and both guitar and vocal harmonies that range from piercing to gorgeous. Brutal and brilliant, the controlled chaos of "Splayed Wayside" is what sets Media Jeweler apart from the pack.
Media Jeweler's 1-800-SUCCEED is out March 30th via Fire Talk Records.