Sexfaces Bad Vibes OST LP
DC-based SEXFACES are out with their debut LP, and it is not to be missed. Having formed two short years ago, the bandmates sound perfectly suited for one another, albeit very unhinged. With Neil Cobra (TEEN COBRA) on bass , Jacky Cougar (DES DEMONAS, THEE LOLITAS) on drums, Sal Go (STOP WORRYING & LOVE THE BOMB, THE NVS) on guitar, and Hana Racecar (TADZIO, COVEN TREE) on electric viola, it makes sense that this cast of well-established musicians has formed a mutant punk spectacle that’s garnishing attention. The music has that droning death snarl sound that is really accentuated by Hana Racecar’s electric viola, often leading to a VELVET UNDERGROUND comparison, but with noise and rambling scuzz qualities added to the incendiary blend, creating a beautiful dumpster fire. Noted in a See/Saw article, Jacky Cougar and Sal Go started the band with the intention of (in Cougar’s words) “…an atonal, BIRTHDAY PARTY, PUSSY GALORE noise thing.” He then goes on to describe how he got conned into a rock’n’roll band, but the noise elements have clearly stuck with the group—the atonal nature of the viola alone, or the irreverent lyrics on “Babies” where Cougar sings “I don’t want a baby that looks like you,” and the “fall apart only to find the rhythm again” squawking band ethos makes for a great homage to aforementioned bands while, yes, having some catchy hooks (“O My Dima”) and rock-structured songs (“S.C.U.M.”). “Special-Lame” deserves a shout-out for its devolution into a parody of CARLY SIMON’s “You’re So Vain,” with Cougar and Go performing the chorus in moaning rounds. Fucking awesome. While I believe it’s those two responsible for most of the vocals, nowhere does it credit any one in particular, and we certainly get whole-band shouts throughout. Genre squabbling by the band aside, whatever they have made here is special, funny, dark, and with a well-deserved cackle. I’ll be excited to hear any and all directions they go next. Get after this Bad Times OST.