by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Part of what makes a band exciting is the fact that you never know exactly what comes next. In the years since Urochromes began in the basements of Western Mass, they’ve kept the formula shifting, adopting new sounds into their erratic punk with touches of hardcore, electronic, no-wave, and sludge, expanding their sonic capabilities beyond any expectations commonly reserved for a duo. Set to release Trope House, their full length debut on May 31st via Wharf Cat Records, the band are using the extended running time to dig deeper and stretch further than every before into territories both strange and dare I say… accessible. If variety is the spice of life, than Trope House is one spicy album.
Take for example “Rumshpringa,” the record’s second single, a song that has Jackieboy pretty much crooning. Hell… this one is down right romantic in it’s swaggering melody. The guitars still grind in a way that recalls the glory days of the Wipers, but the attack, albeit noisy, is relaxed in its own gnarled way. On paper it could go either way, but Urochromes make it work, and as a part of the greater whole, it’s that dynamic perfection that keeps them brilliantly unpredictable. Recorded down in Louisiana at Gary Wrong’s studio, the duo embrace the Southern twang on “Rumshpringa” in a way similar to David Nance, with Jackieboy’s lyrics at their most contemplative as he sings, “could not remember what I wanted most, was it my ghost or was it your ghost / now that I'm thinking, now that I'm really thinking, I think its both.” It’s a serene moment for the pair oft-considered to be a hardcore band, but Urochromes do as they please and are forever better for it.
Urochromes’ Trope House is out May 31st via Wharf Cat Records.