ALBUM: Brix & The Extricated – ‘Super Blood Wolf Moon’

Known as the Super Blood Wolf Moon, this rare celestial event occurs when the first full Moon in a calendar year is at its closest approach to Earth, during a total lunar eclipse; a collision of the Super Moon, the Blood Moon and the Wolf Moon.

Just like the moonscape that inspired its name, the soundscape of Brix & the Extricated‘s latest LP Super Blood Wolf Moon is a collision of raucous post-punk hooks, infectious progressive rock riffs, and euphoric melodies that honour and transcend the historical output of the band’s founders: vocalist/guitarist Brix Smith Start and bassist Steve Hanley, ex-members of The Fall.

Super Blood Wolf Moon is the third record from Brix & the Extricated – following their 2017 debut, Part 2, and 2018’s sophomore release, Breaking State. Opening with ‘Strange Times’, a gentle, shimmering guitar ballad of global despair that musically recalls Brix’s earlier indie pop band, The Adult Net, it continues with ‘Hustler’ – a different beast altogether. The Fall-esque second track combines the musicality of Brix, Steve, and his brother, drummer Paul Hanley’s, ’80s output – referred to lovingly as the “Brix Smith years” – with lyrical elements of unforgiving brutality: “I know, you know / I know, you know / You’re just a two-bit hustler / It’s coming back to crush ya!”

‘Wolves’ is the defining track of Super Blood Wolf Moon; reflecting on pack mentality and driven by the Hanley brothers’ driving basslines, drum beats and the triple cascading guitar collision of Brix, Steve Trafford (also ex-The Fall) and Jason Brown: “I run with wolves and sleep beneath the stars / The clothes I wear is just to hide the scars / The cross I bear is etched into my skin / I run with wolves, they’re my next of kin.”

The edgy, hypnotic, pulsating bass guitar of Steve Hanley on ‘Waterman’ is complemented by Brix’s haunting vocals, transitioning to the catchy, almost upbeat pop of ‘Dinosaur Girl’. But don’t let your ears deceive you. Brix sings honestly of depression and over medication culture – “Below the excavation / Lies the remains of a Prozac nation / Just a dinosaur girl.”

‘Crash Landing’ explores themes of drug addiction and suicide against a psychedelic guitar soundscape, enhanced by the inclusion of violinist Sarah Brandwood-Spencer’s blissful strings, whilst Brix and Steve Trafford share vocal duties, providing fantastical female/male harmonies for ‘Wintertyde’, arranged against spectral harpsichord.

Brix & the Extricated’s social commentary continues on ‘Wasteland’; a dark, operatic track that explores climate change, the destruction of our environment, and conspiracy through intense drum strikes, thunderous guitars, and sweeping strings. Whilst penultimate track, ‘Tannis Root’, is just as heavy, combining staccato rhythm guitar riffs with punchy, powerful basslines.

Closing Super Blood Wolf Moon with a heightened sense of foreboding, ‘The God Stone’ begins with Sarah’s deeply moving strings, building up to a crescendo of eccentric electric guitar. A fitting finale to an often uncomfortable and challenging record seeped in classic pop melodies, abrasive post-punk and brooding social commentary. Prepare to be extricated!

Super Blood Moon Wolf is out now via Grit Over Glamour Records.

Ken Wynne
@Ken_Wynne

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Track Of The Day: Chromatics – ‘Move A Mountain’

Following last year’s Camera, Oregon based Chromatics have now released their sparkling seventh album, Closer To Grey.

Taken from the album, new single ‘Move A Mountain’ may be a more reflective, downtempo offering than previous releases, though it loses none of Chromatics’ trademark shimmering splendour. Oozing the twinkling, emotion-strewn vocals of Ruth Radelet alongside delicate melodies and a swirling soundscape, a stirring ballad is created, sending shivers down the spine with its wistful melancholy.

Directed by the band’s Johnny Jewel, become immersed in the captivating pastel hues of the new video for ‘Move A Mountain’ here:

Closer To Grey is out digitally now, via Italians Do It Better. Pre-order the vinyl here.

 

Mari Lane
@marimindles

 

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Track Of The Day: The Kut – ‘X Ray Eyes’

Following the release of her debut album Valley Of Thorns last year, which landed in the Top 10 of the UK Rock Albums Chart, Princess Maha – aka The Kut – has now shared a powerful new single.

Propelled by eerie hooks and the soaring impassioned power of Princess Maha’s gravelly vocals, ‘X Ray Eyes’ at first seems a little more mellow than previous riotous offerings such as ‘Bad Man’. However, it soon builds to a frenzied grunge-fuelled anthem, retaining all the grit and raw emotion that we’ve come to know and love from The Kut.

Eerie hooks, soaring impassioned power of gravelly vocals… More reflective that riotous offerings such as bad man… but retains the grit and raw emotion that we’ve come to know and love.

Featuring The Kut fans who meet their demise at the hands of a determined vampire slayer, the new video ‘X Ray Eyes’ is out now:

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: The Motion – ‘3am’

Following previous singles ‘Sleep Talk’ and ‘Hollow’, South London based artist Penny Churchill – aka The Motion – is back to grace our ears with their poignant new single.

Rounding off The Motion’s exploration into themes of isolation and insomnia, ‘3am’ oozes pulsating beats and twinkling hooks, showcasing Churchill’s poignant emotion-strewn vocals. Creating a whirring ethereal soundscape, it builds with a stirring dreamy haze, reflecting on feelings of vulnerability, through the eyes of someone in an altered state. Of the track, The Motion explains:

“‘3AM’ was initially inspired by speaking with someone who was in a vulnerable position, but it grew into something bigger than the both of us and became about the cliched idea of coming of age and losing control a little bit. One of my favourite lyrics has to be the direct quote ‘I’m gonna be fine, I do this all the time, it’s my only way feeling a sense of purpose now’, and remembering that fragment of speech formulated the entire mood and essence of the song.”

Watch the psychedelic haze of the new video for ‘3am’ now:

‘3am’ is out now.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Barbora Mrazkova

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