Snail Mail — spearheaded by 18-year-old Maryland native Lindsey Jordan — has come out of the gate running with a debut offering in the form of Lush. Jordan, the perfect example of the new breed of DIY performer, straddles the line between feeling mundane and personal in this record of youth in transition.
This young group has an eye for interesting tempos and a handle on time signatures that fill this shorter release with a depth of capable songs. As if the release was made of shredded textiles, patch-worked into a comfortable blanket - clean in some parts, and stained in others, but nonetheless, a whole.
ONLY LOVE is aggressive and violent, but it is also atmospheric, authentic, and tender. Recorded and produced by Converge's Kurt Ballou and with drum performances by Ben Koller, the collective of musicians, performers, and visual artists that make up The Armed have managed to make a dense album drawing from influences across the punk-rock spectrum.
