We'll Go Machete - Strong Drunk Hands

We'll Go Machete
Strong Drunk Hands 

Earlier in the year this album dropped in our inbox - however, I never got round to listening to it as I had my ear to whatever seemed to be coming out next. Eventually I gently reminded myself to get through the submissions whilst it was still manageable. Hence, here we are at Texan rockers We'll Go Machete and their second album, 'Strong Drunk Hands'.

The first thing to notice of 'Strong Drunk Hands' is the strong afterscent of bands like Fugazi, The Jesus Lizard, Drive Like Jehu, and their ilk, and to a lesser extent, Helmet and At The Drive-In. The discordant riffage and let-me-out vocals wouldn't go amiss in the mid-90's. This is a good thing, helped by crunching, angular melodies and intriguing lyrics besides. 'Strong Drunk Hands' is something of a grower. I didn't take to it straight away and felt it just became a little samey towards the end. Perseverance is a virtue, however, and the quality of the music stands out. Repeated listening exposes this album for what it truly is, and that's a quality record, by a band ready to display their influences but not simply be in awe of them, in the process reviving a classic sound and sounding fresh and menacingly dangerous.

This is definitely an album, and indeed a band, worth seeking out. I didn't exactly see this record coming but I'd definitely rank it as a lot better than most records I've heard this year, and it seems to get better and better with each listen. It feels as those this noise-rock renaissance hinted at by bands such as KEN Mode, for example, really has some legs to it, and We'll Go Machete are a welcome addition to that movement.

Peter Clegg

Buy/Download 'Strong Drunk Hands' here

Official Bandcamp page 
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Review: Lower Than Atlantis - World Record

Lower Than Atlantis

World Record

A Wolf At Your Door

When I look back at how I got into rock music, I still fondly remember acts like Hundred Reasons and Hell Is For Heroes, just a couple of the names that made up many a mixtape back in the day. They were rock bands in their own right, mixed with post-hardcore sensibilities that propelled them into the mainstream conscious, before lack of major label belief saw the rug pulled well and truly beneath their feet. And indeed, my own musical tastes were progressing and while their albums still sit proudly in my record collection, they don’t get the attention they ought to get any more, simply cos I moved into heavier and more diverse waters as I got a little older. So I was caught off guard really when I first heard Lower Than Atlantis - they really do take me back to that time with some amount of reminiscence.

Lower Than Atlantis do possess their own sound – they’re not simply knocking off records from nearly a decade ago – but they are dealing in the same post-hardcore awareness that defined their peers, although on ‘World Record’, they have moved away slightly from the hardcore stylings displayed on last year’s debut album, the well-received ‘Far Q’.

Within are several tales of personal issues, such as tour experiences, on ‘(Motor) Way of Life’, the snappily-titled ‘Marilyn’s Mansion’; smoking addiction (‘Up In Smoke); and yes, relationships (‘Deadliest Catch’). But there is a real honesty within frontman Ian Duce’s lyrics, a refreshing change from the majority of heart-on-sleeve types who tend to sing about these sorts of issues without any real conviction.

There’s not a great deal of variation in the songs as the album motors through, only slowing down briefly the ballad ‘Another Sad Song’, which doesn’t really do anything for me. But the riffs are bouncy and the choruses in particular are really catchy. LTA are going for anthemic here – whether these songs will get heard in bigger venues remains to be seen. But they at least deserve that much. ‘World Record’ is an excellent album and worth seeking out.

Peter Clegg

Buy ‘World Record’ here.

Official site

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