ALBUM: Screaming Females – ‘All At Once’

Screaming Females have been touring and producing records for just shy of a decade and they’ve managed to keep both their energy and integrity in tact with the release of their seventh studio album, All At Once.

Released via Don Giovanni Records and produced by long-time collaborator Matt Bayles (Pearl Jam, Mastodon, Murder City Devils), band members Marissa Paternoster (guitar, vox), Mike Abbate (bass), and Jarrett Dougherty (drums) spent a month recording in Seattle and the result is a relentless fourteen track record.

Powerful opener ‘Glass House’ is fueled by filthy bass lines and sturdy vocals from Paternoster. Despite sounding like a break-up song, following track ‘Black Moon’ is actually about “the planet abandoning humanity,” but thanks to the riotous guitar and knockout percussion it doesn’t sound as bleak as that.

‘I’ll Make You Sorry’ is no idle threat, even if Paternoster asks “am I losing faith in my own anger?” ‘Dirt’ kicks up the musical dust again, before ‘Agnes Martin’ busts wide open with its “emblems built of garbage” and devious riffs. ‘Deeply’ is a passionate two minutes of slow-building, burning vocals, whilst ‘Soft Domination’ is equally as heated.

Despite originally being conceived as a minimalist drum machine-driven demo, ‘End Of My Bloodline’ sounds fleshy enough, while bookend tracks ‘Chamber For Sleep (Part One)’ and ‘Chamber For Sleep (Part Two)’ ponder a similarly morbid subject: the afterlife. “It’s sort of about sitting around, fantasizing about your own funeral and kind of wishing you could be there to see what it would be like,” explains Paternoster. “I would consider that a very universal human experience. Or maybe I’m crazy. I have no idea.”

Crazy or not, ‘Bird In Space’ soars like “a bird in paradise” with its rich guitar sounds and contrasts well with the jarring opening on following track ‘Fantasy Lens’. ‘My Body’, ‘Drop By Drop’ and ‘Step Outside’ sound minimal, but they’re all loud lessons in self-restraint, something Paternoster said she was “conscious” of whilst writing this album, wary of adding too many layers to each song.

Screaming Females seventh offering is a lively affair that should be played loud and All At Once for full effect. It’s sure to please fans who have stayed loyal to the band along the way and grasp the attention of new ears too.

You can order your copy of All At Once here. Follow Screaming Females on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Farrah Skeiky

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Belako – ‘Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence’

A “head twisting mix” of punk, techno, indie, & electro, Spanish band Belako have shared their third album Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence via Primavera Sound’s label El Segell. The group were already well versed in fusing different genres and their talent for doing so has thrived on this record.

Upbeat cacophony ‘Maskenfreiheit’ kicks things off in trademark Belako style, with a manic mix of electronics, guitar riffs and lush vocals. There’s no time to catch your breath as ‘Lungs’ immediately follows, still bursting with the same organised musical chaos.

‘Two Faced Simulation’ impresses with its gritty bass lines, restless guitar riffs and heavier vocal delivery, whilst following track ‘Over The Edge’ keeps up the momentum with sharp, persistent percussion and more driving bass lines. ‘Nice Church’ is a joyful tune, combining both buoyant and dense synths with watery-fx vocals and more powerful percussion. Even when they sing of losing emotional focus on ‘Stumble’, Belako keep everything together musically. ‘Stumble II’ is equally as well constructed, with gentle keys tripping over more lush vocals.

The stripped back, hazy ‘Strangers In A Box’ follows, before brief instrumental ‘Render Arp’ leads in to title track ‘Render Me Numb’, which is permeated by forceful beats. The uplifting party-style synths on ‘The Fiend Thinker’ will get listeners feet moving, whilst the happily named ‘Something To Adore (Arinau)’ rolls out in the same passionate vein.

Penultimate track ‘Hegodun Baleak II’ meanders musically for five minutes, before the brief ‘Maskenfreiheit II’ bookends this fusion of manic indie and alternative sounds. With Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence, Belako have shown their skill for creating carnivalesque, yet ornate and considered music.

Render Me Numb, Trivial Violence is available now. Follow Belako on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Lowtide – ‘Southern Mind’

Going South isn’t always such a bad thing, especially when it’s the focus of Australian band Lowtide‘s beautiful new album, Southern Mind. Released via Opposite Number/Rice Is Nice earlier this month, the record is a “uniquely Australian take” on the landscapes and politics of the South, but it transcends these contexts via ambient guitars and shimmering vocals.

As bassist and vocalist Lucy Buckeridge explains, “South can be a positive thing, a change” and listeners will be nodding in agreement as the eponymous reverb-saturated ‘Southern Mind’ opens the record. It’s six minutes of dizzy guitar and dreamy vocals that sound like they’re curated by a distant relative of The Cure’s Robert Smith. The same can be said for following track ‘Alibi’.

Giles Fielke’s & Lucy’s dual vocals on ‘Elizabeth Tower’ align to create a nostalgic, hazy soundscape, while ‘A.C.’ rings out in the same cool, atmospheric style, urging listeners to “celebrate yourself.” ‘Olinda’ is an elegant two minutes of melodic, sweeping guitar effects that seamlessly flow in to ‘On The Fence’, another alternative Lowtide lullaby designed to distract listeners and dissolve their negative thoughts. ‘The Fear’ does the same, it’s an aural wish for a life with “No more pain and no more mistakes.”

Penultimate track ‘Window’ is a six minute long breath of fresh air, before ‘Fault Lines’ closes this collection of enveloping, drifting sounds. Lowtide might be going South on their latest release, but it’s a joy to step inside their Southern Mind and lose ourselves in all they have to offer.

Southern Mind is available to download here. Follow Lowtide on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: LIINES – ‘Shallow’

Having supported Desperate Journalist and Nelson Can on tour last year, Manchester trio (and GIHE faves) LIINES have fast been gaining attention from the likes of John Kennedy, The Quietus and BBC Introducing, as well as earning the title of ‘Ones To Watch 2018’ from yours truly. And, having cemented our love of them by blowing us away with their riotous, impassioned energy at The Finsbury last month, the band have blasted into our ears once more with their gritty, brand new single.

Filled with the band’s trademark dark, brooding power, ‘Shallow’ starts off with steady, stripped-back beats as it builds to a high-octane climax of raging riffs and throbbing bass lines. Oozing an immense, thrashing energy and the raw, commanding vocals of Zoe McVeigh, it’s another intense blast of perfect post-punk with shades of the likes of Savages of Sleater Kinney.

Of the track, McVeigh explains:

“It’s relentless and on loop, which I hope shows how it feels when obsessive feelings develop and won’t let up. I wanted a song that made the listener feel like they were suffocating and almost relieved when it was over.”

‘Shallow’ is out now, and LIINES’ debut album Stop – Start is set for release on 4th May via Reckless Yes Records. Catch LIINES live at the following dates:

2nd March – Night People, Manchester
10th March – The Audacious Art Experiment, Sheffield
16th March – Tooting Tram and Social (for John Kennedy), London
30 March – The Golden Lion, Todmorden
13th April – Sound, Food & Drink, Liverpool

Mari Lane 
@marimindles

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