TAG: CHICAGO

I forget sometimes how long Larry Arms has been around. I bought Ghost Stories (the album this song is from) 13 years ago. 

Crazy.

Ridiculous name aside, this kills.

Drone metal with a little thrash in the middle, so good.

They have 8 releases up on their bandcamp page. 

I really liked this band’s first 2 records (this song is from their 2nd record, Ghost Stories), but they kind of fell out of my periphery. Now and then I’d remember them, check something out, like it, and move on. That’s where this band existed for me, for years.

Then a friend became a Larry Arms die-hard. Well, die-hard might not be a strong enough term; dude was in deeeeep. And because I’m a dick, this turned me off the band. It's hard to keep perspective when someone says every song and every album Larry Arms has is better than any other song or album ever. No one had any perspective, he thought they were Jesus with a guitar, and I thought they were just another ok, but so what band.

The fact is, they are a great band, and I slept on them. Probably not god-like, but good.

There is a line in the song Stay Positive by the Hold Steady that goes “There’s gonna come a time when the true scene leaders forget where they differ and get big picture ‘cause the kids at the shows, they’ll have kids of their own and the sing-along songs will be our scriptures.”  I’m old enough that this is happening now. 

In light of that, I’m going to spend the rest of the year highlighting our scriptures.  

Old Testament.

For me, Slapstick is right up there with OPIV, a complete classic that I overplayed during “the ska years.” Every song from 25 songs is a sing-along classic, but the intro to “There is a Metalhead in the Parking Lot” just makes me feel good.

Drone with less noise.

I’m pretty sure posting this band two days in a row is breaking my own rules for this site. Even if yesterday was a collaboration. 

Go listen to and then buy everything this band has. 

*Between the time I wrote this and when I published it, several records in the linked store sold out. Move fast.

Shit, it's hard finding out anything about this band, let alone a live photo.

I’m going to do something I hate when reviewers do, compare a band to another band, then ride that single train of thought right into the ground….

Drive like Jay who? Few bands (that don’t have John Reis in them) have pulled of the Drive Like Jehu sound as well as Cut Teeth, right down to me getting distracted and turning it off before the album is over.

With that said, Cut Teeth are by no means a Jehu cover/rip-off band. They have a great rock/punk thing going on with touches of hardcore, which I guess could also be a description of Drive Like Jehu.

Similarities to other things aside, I truly do like this album quite a bit, and the Ben Sears art is a nice bonus. 

Stream the whole album here. Or buy it on vinyl here.  

I can not stop listening to this album.

Mamiffer is Aaron Turner of Isis, House of Low Culture, and a million other bands, and Faith Coloccia, formerly of Everlovely Lightningheart. Their releases in the past have been pretty hit or miss for me, with more being “eh, I don’t care” than “this is amazing.”

I know absolutely nothing about Locrian, but I’m probably going to fix that issue.

Go buy it, it's stupid expensive, but amazing. 

The photo sort of sucks, but good luck finding a better one.