Merwulf In the Golden Age LP
MERWULF kicks in with some THOMAS DOLBY keyboards and balances that with AmRep/SHELLAC throaty, buzzing bass. I’m caught completely off guard, in a great way. All the way from Portland, OR, they’ve pulled in elements of VICTORY AT SEA from Boston, MA. Merri’s vocals are haunting and comforting within the abundance of open space in these songs, which can sometimes be a disaster. But with Misty on bass and Larry on drums, that isn’t the case here. Somehow this record feels like an uncomfortable and intimate rock opera, or reading through a friend’s diary that fell open when they left the room. This is what they think. I shouldn’t be reading this. I can’t turn away. In the Golden Age undulates, and while not at the urgent pace of most hardcore or punk, it establishes an urgency and turbulence within the simplest of structures. It builds tension so gradually that you may not even realize that you’ve been holding your breath until suddenly, your chest hurts.