from the opening power chord with at least 1 flat string to the lazy-mouthed beatnik poetry of "It's Snot" Lazerands is truly dusty gold blend of Punk, kraut and lazers. Not since Pavement has a band made such extensive use of the DAG chord structure. "I... have... drywall in my back pocket, carpet under my shoe, dust in my hair... it's not nice, it's snot nice" lead singer Glenn La Race drools over the microphone. "Dropping change" is a tense and fast call to anarchy, "drowning kids in gasoline" the lyrics shine with gems. "Court Order" picks the pace up with even more energy. The drums are a keystone in the sound; powerfully simple kraut beats played with poise and precision.
Ot Damn! - Klans Wharf
Exile to the Thirteenth (Klans Wharf in disguise)'s too-drunk-to-sing vocals are met with sloppy skilled overdrive guitar. Raw outtakes shine, Like hearing James Van Wart say "I fucked up on that last part" at the very end of a song, or the instrumentals which describe the dreams of La Race as he lays passed out on the floor. The tape even gives you your change with a penny taped to the bottom. While Lazerands is essentially about Boston getting mercilessly destroyed by giant cats or a dog named gato, themes of materialism, evolution, dinosaurs and fish are also apparent. La Race once told me in an interview that Ot Damn! is a really about JIM BEAM. "Tetrapods" attempts to be perhaps the loudest track EVER RECORDED!! not to mention it may the the outstanding track on the album. "We are all Tetrapods here", "I'm so high i can drink the clouds, yum".
Ot Damn! - Tetrapods
La Race yips and yelps as he staggers his way to drunken punk'n glory, while the insanely manic drum smashes are the vehicle which drive the album forward past the speed limit and weaving through traffic down the wrong lane.
Ot Damn! - Yon Then Drill/Eastern Stars
The other outstanding track on the album is the somber and atmospheric "Yon then drill/Eastern Stars" which display Ot Damn! at their most intimate and least produced. A single bass note adorns "Yon then drill" as it weeps into refrain. "Eastern Stars" is a mournful ballad, "I know where you are, I know... where did you go?" Thom Lopes sings with a teardrop in his voice, more compelling than the lyrical content is the delivery of the vocals. This album is a stylistic breakthrough as well as a document of a band swarming with more ideas than than their own good. 8.6
reviewed by Mohamed El-Darwish RADIATOR COLLECTIVE 2011
itsnot laser HANDS it's lazerands!
ReplyDeletedrop the H neg
ReplyDeleteit says "destroyed by giant cats cats"
ReplyDelete