by Meaghan Weiley (@weaghan)
Towards the end of last year, Patti’s Good Big arrived via Germany’s Erste Theke Tonträger. A year prior, a cluster of releases emerged from the Brooklyn-based band - the fast-paced EP Bad Back, a cassette called H.A.G.S, and a split-single so promising they cemented themselves as a band worth monitoring.
Good Big is a debut record laden with meticulous riffs, built on rhythm and supplemented by a constant drive. The label describe it as “top-notch egg punk,” with nods to Minutemen and Suburban Lawns. It stops, starts, and speeds up. With a fade out, you’re able to catch your breath before being catapulted into the next track.
With post-punk being such an umbrella term, it’s become too easy these days to pigeonhole artists. Despite being an album you could easily classify as “post-punk,” Good Big is an exploration of sounds, songs so broad they’re juxtaposed by their short duration. Album opener “Rubber” solidifies the mechanical nature of the record; percussive, punctured by sharp guitars - no doubtedly the result of well-crafted songwriting.
It’s satisfying to know the tracks that follow never falter - take a look at “Color Kill,” for example. A true standout on the album, it’s a song that consists of this addictive funk groove, deeply twisted amongst angular punk. Patti don’t hesitate in drawing from other genres as well - “Actor Is” dips its toes into elements of indie rock, and the execution of warped, thick synth on “Love Today” is nothing short of gratifying.
It’s kind of ironic that the impassive vocals throughout this record are delivered with such force and emotion. Parts of this record feel displaced and jarring, yet complimentary - it’s fantastic. Synchronized, sharp and tight, Patti truly shine.