Caught In The Wash

I have gained a new obsession lately, a band who I'm literally mad at myself for not getting into sooner (when a lot of their records were cheap and easily available). I'm talking about the brilliant stupidity that is Minch. A rare band who I will go far as to say has a near perfect discography. Everything I've heard has been A++ quality, shit noise outrageousness. Unfortunately, almost all of their early splits from the 90's go for a pretty penny. So who knows when I'll be able to score classics like "Seven Minch" and the Gore Beyond Necropsy split. A cheap split that I was lucky to snag recently is the 7" they shared with Breathilizor from back in 2004. All pressed on green vinyl, 33 1/3 RPM.

Minch is three weirdo's from Ohio that make some weird ass noise. Equipped with a washing machine for drums, some sort of guitar figuration,  their strained vocal chords and wild imaginations. Each track is a fucked up mush of deep thuds from hitting the washing machine, and 2-3 people yelling frantically about various dumb shit. It's goofy, brutal noise that winks at you quite a lot, with it's tongue bursting out of it's cheek. Is it brilliant though; abso-fucking-lutely. I can't get enough of this record; when I bought it the first day I played it three times in a row. The chaotic, rapid fire vocals are so infectious, I'm always trying to decipher what exactly they're yelling about. Lots of dicks, pussy, ass, fucks, bells and whistles. It also sounds like they speed up the vocal tracks to make them even more spastic, which I dig a lot. I got to play this record twice at the record store I work at, and every time multiple poeple had to ask me what they were being forced to listen to. Which I happened to think was a perfect reaction. The almighty Steveggs also makes an always appreciated vocal appearance on this recording (note the illustration style on the cover). Incredible recordings, I say 100% necessary.

Breathilizor is another band who's records I've seen literally everywhere, but they always looked like something I would never be interested it. That sort of goofy, low quality, rock/thrash stuff. Upon listening to them, I'm a bit half right in my premonitions. The music is pretty much what I expected, but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit! It's tremendously goofy, but can you honestly expect anything else from people who were in the band Sockeye? 4-track quality recordings of hard rock/punk songs about space, adventures, and Pacman. It's enjoyably stupid, I can audibly hear the fun being had by the people making it. I'm not sure if I'll buy a lot of their records, since I honestly don't care for the styles of music they work with, but I'll be coming back to this for sure.

All copies of this were pressed on green vinyl, packaged in a very nice and sturdy, double sided sleeve.

So yeah, I officially need every Minch record ever. Wish me luck.

~VII

Stain In Daylight

An American noise label that I have had the privileged honor of easily keeping up with is Prime Ruin. An incredibly consistent project created and operated by a Mr. Weston Czerkies, based somewhat near my home city. Over the past few years Prime Ruin has steadily produced high quality listening material, approaching all corners of the experimental and extreme music spectrum. Harsh noise wall and pure power electronics, to heavy beat-driven noise, techno, punk and even synth pop. With the sporadic variation of styles over Prime Ruin's catalog, each new batch of tapes are equally as exciting and mysterious as they are pretty to look at. No expense is spared making sure every release looks and sounds great. No matter if it's a bands first release, or a new full-length from a veteran artist. This newest batch of tapes included the first demo of a new project called Goddaughter. Which is actually another recording alias from Czerkies himself (along with his already stellar group of projects, Sunken Cheek, Obsidian Order, Lace, and Thin Vision). Blue c16 tapes, limited to 33 copies.

I had been anticipating this tape in particular based on all of the organic instrumentation I heard would be on it. A step away from the harsh electronic screeches and drones that usually show up in Weston's recordings. New experiments are always intriguing! The opening track "Stain in Daylight" instantly caught my attention with the immediate introduction of a distant, rising moan. A sound that returns and pulses over the whole track. Right from that moment the mood and mission of Goddaughter is laid out. Focusing on a consistent musical mood of melancholy and introspection.   Layers of minor key organ hits, washed out whispers of breath, chilly ambience, and piano all slowly build. Never reaching a grand, noisy cluster, just simply evolving over a solum feeling. The distant moan slowly shifts pitch and rises into what sounds more like a synth. Everything rises in tempo slightly before very suddenly cutting off. It's a very wonderful track, my favorite on the whole tape.

These types of sounds and textures continue all over the rest of the tape. Other instruments including a kalimba thumb piano, and tape loops appear. Over on side two a more distinct presence of vocals appear, which are similarly droned, fogged, and subtle as most of the sounds on the demo. The suffering of Sunken Cheek's music is present here, as this music does not come off as immediately upifting. But it still never goes full down and depressing. The organ swells and loops do remain strongly hopeful, supplying some sort of light in the haze.
I am a fan of much of what this tape has to offer. However, in a shocking turn of events, I really do wish these songs were longer (I think this is the first time I've said that on this blog). Every song outside of side 2's opener, "It Yields The Same", sound like they end prematurely. I think a lot of these ideas could be developed and elongated a lot more and it would go over fantastically well. I could easily drone out to like, almost an hour of this stuff. I am definitely excited to hear what's in store for the future of Goddaughter.

 In typical Prime Ruin fashion, the presentation of this tape is incredible. I'd say one of the best in the catalog so far. Packaged in a silk-screened O-card, on top of another printed O-card covering the tape. Gorgeous art all around with a very wonderful blue theme. The thing even comes with a stitched 6-page booklet. Pictures do not do it justice, trust me.

This tape has at the time of this post sold out from Prime Ruin. I'm not sure if any copies got to any distro's, but it's worth a listen if you get the chance.

~VII