raw | Heartbreaking Bravery

Mutts – Everyone is Everyone (Lyric Video)

Noisy blues-punk trio Mutts have had a very peculiar career trajectory. Building up a healthy amount of support in their hometown of Chicago while winning over countless others on the back of a relentless tour schedule, they’ve become another reason to celebrate the Midwest. Releasing a full-length a year since 2011’s Pray for Rain, they’ve managed to sustain an astoundingly prolific pace without losing any of their impact or hindering a natural musical progression. As a result, their last effort- 2013’s Object Permanence– wound up being their strongest (and bravest) release to date. A lot of Mutts’ recent material has hinged on pianist/vocalist Mike Maimone’s decision to come out, rendering a lot of the band’s lyrics devastatingly intimate and intensely personal. While their upcoming Fuel Yer Delusion, Vol. 4 may shy away from the early Tom Waits lounge-stylings of Object Permanence, the lyrical (and musical) aggression of the band’s earlier works are given a fierce emphasis.

That retained fierceness is probably most evident on the ragged, confrontational “Everyone Is Everyone”, which features Maimone tearing into the politics of equality and derogatory terminology with everything in his arsenal. As always, the rhythm section of Bob Buckstaff and Chris Pagnani prove that they’re one of the more formidable tandems in music. While it’s not a surprise that “Everyone Is Everyone” is a monstrous slice of revved-up blues-indebted noise-punk, what is interesting to note is the psychedelic strain that courses through the song’s veins. It’s a particular influence that’s been ingrained into the Mutts’ DNA for some time but this is the first time that it’s been displayed so prominently. That psychedelic influence helps define Fuel Yer Delusion, Vol. 4 and is an incredibly natural fit for the band, who will be self-releasing that record on December 9- and they’ll be having a Gapers Block-presented party a few days beforehand to celebrate the release. Before all of that madness kicks in, though, it’s well worth taking a few moments to give some attention to the brilliantly designed lyric video for “Everyone Is Everyone”- a video that definitively showcases Mutts as a band unafraid to say what’s on their mind, in as powerful of a way as they possibly can.

Watch “Everyone Is Everyone” below and be sure to pre-order Fuel Yer Delusion, Vol. 4 from Mutts’ bandcamp.

Ex-Breathers – Pocket (Stream)

Hardcore’s been making a small resurgence in terms of national attention over the past few years, thanks to bands like OFF! and acts that have openly embraced the genre like Fucked Up, Perfect Pussy, Priests, and White Lung. Ex-Breathers are gearing up to make a run at attaining the same kind of heavyweight status on the bruising strength of their upcoming 7″, Exbx. Clocking in at just under 12 minutes, the 12 tracks contained on that small slab of wax all hit as forcefully as the first song to be offered up from the future Texas Is Funny release, “Pocket”.

As is the case with all of the best hardcore, “Pocket” boasts a palpable sense of frustration that’s expressed as directly as possible. “Pocket” doesn’t even hit the :45 mark before it’s over but it does hit a vast array of pleasure points; a grizzled bass line, frantic guitarwork, a seemingly untapped resource of anger, and a drummer capable of tearing a hole through the skins at any minute. There’s a sense of sonic abandon that invites a sense of dread that feels perfectly in tune with the band’s work and, as a result, it helps “Pocket” stand out as one of Exbx‘s finest moments.

Listen to “Pocket” below” and don’t hesitate in picking up the 7″ as soon as it becomes available.

Heartbreaking Bravery

Tag: raw

September 26, 2014

Mutts – Everyone is Everyone (Lyric Video)

August 10, 2014

Ex-Breathers – Pocket (Stream)