Talking to the band just before Christmas found them in between one-off gigs and the planning of what is looking to be a much more extensive, but at the time of publishing tentative, tour. Band members Gretchen and Stephen spoke of the making of their latest release, the bands songwriting, and an unnamed loss which hung over the writing and recording process of Hush.
The quartet are back with Echo Chamber Blues, a stark shoegaze record that blends the darker atmospherics of Liars with wall of sound guitars and waves of distortion. Built around the political and religious climate following the 2016 election in their newfound home, the record is a reflection of the times and what the band call their "most upfront" album to date.
Every time Dama Scout sound like they’re about to miss a note, they resolve the dissonance with a sugar sweet hook before hard cutting right back into whirling chaos. The Dama Scout EP shows that in four songs they have not only firmly put their foot in the door, but also have simultaneously broken the handle.
Bib excels in effortlessly shifting from one version of punk to another, often within the span of mere seconds. The sludgy riffs that adorn each track are balanced by short-lived melody at every turn, keeping these bizarre songs accessible to even the most fair-weather fans of what their label, Pop Wig, has termed “sketchy punk.”
Although the duo, composed of Kora Puckett (guitar, vocals) and Justin Hatton (drums), doesn’t stray far from the formula of crunchy guitar pop, laden with feedback, they do it incredibly well and drag you in for multiple listens with great melodies and some insanely catchy hooks that you’ll definitely find yourself singing under your breath for days after listening.
Our Year-End coverage "fun" isn't over just yet. You've read our spectacular "Year In Review" feature (available to bookmark for your convenience) and checked out the "Staff Picks" count-down, but now it's time to hear from some friends of the site in a feature we're calling "Guest List," a chance for bands, labels, and music industry types to share what kept them going over the past year.
Small Pets And Kitchenettes' 10 tracks are not for the faint of heart. The album's abrasive demeanor and engagingly low fidelity recordings can range between spastic bursts of Devo indebted post-punk and unforgivingly dissonant noise to punk so filthy, you may just want to take a shower after listening.
