by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Pith is the third full length from Chicago-based noise punk quartet Melkbelly, and within it is a barrage of hook filled knottiness with a bit more development and breadth. On previous recordings Melkbelly took full advantage of their raging power and created moments of visceral release that was full of energy and utter abandon that took no prisoners. Those characteristics are still readily apparent here but there is a sort of cautious sweetness on Pith to temper the causticism without stripping it entirely. The production on this record is a bit brighter which lends to a more alive and in your face record while allowing the songs to fully blossom and reach maximum impact.
A song like “Sickeningly Teeth” combines Melkbelly’s melodic punk tendencies with more a spotlight on the brighter melodies while still showing off quite a bit of muscle. Melkbelly contrasts a lovely little melodic chorus swooning with Miranda Winters’ vocals before giving way to howls of distorted guitar and persistent bass thud while playing with tempo, bursting from frantic to a snail like pace. “Kissing Under Some Bats” provides a vehicle for Melkbelly to really stretch out and embrace their noisier side with guitar fills that scream with menace over rapid fire drumming before devolving into a bit of a Melvins-esque dirge pushed to its fullest extremes. There is a bit of an industrial churning Sturm und Drang at play here that is unrelenting and claustrophobic, drums clatter and roar while guitars are washed in pedals adding textural layers.
Some of the more melodic numbers on the record are numbers like “Humid Heart” and “Little Bug”. “Little Bug” starts off locking into a dirty bit of a groove with playful drum fills and crunching guitar before breaking into a lovely melodic vocal. Winters’ double tracked vocals add a new and welcome element and add a freshness over the guitars that roll out waves of crunches and nimble riffs. “Humid Heart” is a jumping upbeat tune that utilizes a mazy bit of arrangement as guitars weave in and out of each other while the rhythm section creates a bit of a puzzle between themselves without ever truly locking into each other. There is a playful disorientation throughout the track with a bunch of instrumental gymnastics that veers near total collapse before coalescing into one final explosion.
The growth that Melkbelly have shown in a relatively short period of time has truly been something to behold and this record shows a band that is hitting its stride in ebullient fashion. Miranda Winters and company continue to bring a full-on aural assault with each track, but with Pith there’s something just a little more laying underneath the tension and explosive instrumental freak outs fans have come to know and love. The varied arsenal on display here shows a band that is operating at what is near peak performance and the tightened up songcraft just adds to the power that was always at hand. Pith is still a record that is full of ropy tension and jagged shards, but now there’s an underlying warmth that makes a strong impact. This is a record that blooms in so many ways and welcomes whatever weirdness that lays ahead from its own unique and endearingly off-kilter point of view.