The Goo 1
Reviews MAR-APR 24 as chill wind drones whisper t
hrough the structures, while tape manipulation and reverb lends the Kleinesque work on Postcard II an almost Gamelan like quality. Profoundly experimental, coldly minimalist and often starkly beautiful, a sonic manifestation of apricity. The third cut has moments that remind me of Moondog, and on the stunning finale, ghostly harmonics open a piece that calls to mind timelapse footage of ice tendrils in the deep sea. Some truly beautiful, deeply original and engaging work. For fans of the Improvised Music Company and the Crash Ensemble, and weird, beautiful things. AOC Stupid Son - Comedy Hallucinations, panic attacks and moments of clarity. Without tragedy we can not have comedy and what’s more tragic than a chronic lack of sleep. Therein lies the premise of Stupid Son’s debut EP Comedy. The prevailing feeling of Comedy is anxiety with each track lyrically and musically forcing the listener’s attention down an increasingly narrowing hallway of nocturnal torment. Tracks like Black Mould, Light Leak, Ghost and Dylan’s Brain lyrically plaster the insomniac theme all over the crumbling walls of the band’s debut offering by bombarding us with the paranoia of a moon lit bedroom. Lyric duty falls primarily between co-vocalist & coguitarist Andrew Pierce and Conal Loughney, the switching of vocals in both timbre and style further adding to the uncertainty by creating a feeling of schizophrenia. Supporting all this angular shape shifting is the perpetual jabbing of Aaron Hegarty’s drumming, steadily pummeling you like a Mike Tyson facing an opponent half his size, along with bassist Robert Broader’s no wave grooves providing splashes of technicolour chaos and monochrome base coats whenever called upon. Comedy has been a long time coming and is the culmination of a number of the years of graft the band have put in since their formation with artefacts of the band’s previous demos and singles making their way into the EP or being reimagined entirely for the project. The release comes during a bitterly sweet fruitful period for Stupid Son coming off the back of an appearance on BBC Radio 6’s Live Sessions while also bidding adieu to bassist Rob. It is the end of an era but the birth of another. End of Chapter 1. EG Pissed Jeans - Half Divorced More than 20 years making music. The lyrics suggest they’re becoming jaded with some aspects of life, but the music is all fire. This is good wholesome hardcore to inject into your veins. Their dark humour comes across in ‘Killing All the Wrong People’, “It’s not the killing that’s inherently wrong, It’s that they’re killing all the wrong people.” There’s also a serious social commentary, “they make monsters out of our men…If violence is now their form of play. Let’s aim ‘em towards those who made ‘em that way”. They kindly give some parental advice in ‘Helicopter Parent’, “It’s time to reflect and maybe contemplate respect instead of micromanagement.” These nuggets are dispensed with arresting alacrity. The harsh truths of ‘Cling to a Poisoned Dream’ take only 1m 29s. Debt-tocredit ratios are boxed off in the 1m 57s of ‘Sixty-Two Thousand Dollar in Debt’. The hilarious ‘Everywhere is Bad’ is a standout and likely singalong crowd favourite as singer Matt Korvette lists the failings of various US cities. Europe isn’t spared, “Pamplona. You might gored” even, “Hell, too many dudes”. The outlier in terms of duration is the fantastic “Junktime” which uses the time to tell a story of a “butane tank explosion” incident. It also allows the band to let loose unrestricted after extolling some potentially sage consumer advice, “I think you’ll wanna get this quick, you know it’s gonna sell out”. This indelible album concludes with the irresistible ‘Moving on’; post-divorce or from the things that just don’t matter? DC Maelstrom - Uragh From the triumphant opening squalls of ‘Monarch’, the darkly blistering ‘Apparition’, to the dulled ebb that opens ‘Capsize’, the turbulent waters that Maelstrom brings to mind are restless, overwhelming, and churning over grooves as deep as the Diamantina. The band's complex and dynamic songwriting, helmed by guitarist Marcelo Varge, channels the ire of a lot of the continental Black Metal I find myself so partial to. Fronted by a very capable and versatile vocalist in Craig Murphy, Uragh marries that dissonant rage with the rhythmic onslaught acts like Strapping Young Lad, the more thoughtful moments of Tool, and some dynamic nods to some of the better metalcore bands of the early 00’s. The production throughout perfectly captures the bands practised technicality while maintaining that raw, live vibrancy. A truly stunning performance from the rhythms section of Sebastian Sparr and Jason Hodgkins anchors this darkly roiling sea. An incredible debut from the Dublin wrecking crew, who also happen to be an unmissable live proposition. AOC AN UNMISSABLE LIVE PROPOSITION PAGE 15