by Conor Lochrie (@conornoconnor)
The Netherlands has been offering some of the best post-punk of 2020, both of the cerebral kind (Lewsberg) and the witty kind (Global Charming). Newcomers We Are Joiners evade that genre, preferring the straightforward immense energy of garage rock. Perhaps it’s because they come from Groningen, the alternative smaller city away from the chaos of Amsterdam and Rotterdam (incidentally, Groningen is where the excellent and reliable Subroutine Records are based, so there’s musical history located there). The band consists of high school friends Joep and Niels, who’ve gone from making Dead Kennedy covers to recalling the garage rock revival groups of the mid 00’s (think Jay Reatard, The Black Keys, and Cage the Elephant).
Working with just an old BOSS BR1180 8-track, they recorded two EPs earlier this year. The New York independent label Totally Real Records saw potential in these: Clients + Carriers have been gathered into a double album, released on December 4th, and the decision makes sense upon listening: the ten collected songs still only run for barely twenty minutes, such is the short but impactful thrust of the tracks.
A winning slacker dynamic runs through the record, the 80’s lo-fi work of Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr. being clear influences. The fuzziness is raw and rusty in a positive sense. As soon as ‘Alternators’ - one of two new songs alongside ‘Meet Your Friends’ - kicks things off, the energy levels are kept resolutely high. It’s pure unabashed garage rock: each song fits as much clutter and clatter into sub-two minutes as is possible. Songs like ‘The Fortyfive,’ ‘9 Times A Week,’ and the wonderfully-titled ‘Wee Creeper’ are earnest and raucous, singular and focused.
The vocals fizz right across the surface of the throbbing guitars throughout. During ‘Metalmouth’ they’re delivered with a languid cool that would be befitting of Julian Casablancas. The biggest takeaway from listening to We Are Joiners is a sense of camaraderie and friendship, that atmosphere that Girls crafted so well once upon a time. The standout tracks, ‘Meet Your Friends’ and ‘Buddies,’ are concerned with such things: “I miss my old drinking buddies but I’m fine,” is the relatable chorus in the latter and they sound yearning but resolute; they might miss the good old days but while they’re playing music they’re still content.
‘Too Tired To Start A Riot’ is as low and solemn as they get, the thrashing reduced for a brief moment, consisting of just a quiet acoustic guitar. They sounded like they could've started a riot on the record beforehand but this track acknowledges that they’re past that now. ‘Ego Death’ then returns the clattering rhythm for one last ride, a propelling drum beat sending them out swinging.
This double album is a strong debut for a wider audience outside of their homeland. With better recording equipment and more confidence that are both sure to follow, We Are Joiner’s rowdy garage rock will only be enhanced on any follow-up release in 2021.