Dre Perish Twist of Fate LP
New Orleans artist/producer DRE PERISH (also of the noise punk duo QUARTER RATS) is a self-styled “psych punk/no wave junkie,” and their new LP seems to push that identity in every direction at once. PERISH handles vocals, guitar, bass, synths, sax, beats, and samples, with guest players dropping in on about half the tracks. Across its eleven songs and three field recordings, the album meanders between styles like a Tuesday-night CBGB audition lineup: opening with a NINE INCH NAILS-leaning opener, then a detour into alternative/art rock, the rumble of a passing train, and then “All Night!”—the standout for me, which sounds like it could’ve come off one of the more chaotic OSEES recordings. There’s also a crunchy/synthy cover of GANG OF FOUR’s “To Hell With Poverty!” I found myself gravitating toward the tracks played with real instruments and patiently waiting for the synth-heavy ones to end, but that’s just personal taste. For most people, this will either be a challenging listen or a novelty, but if you’ve got a wide-open brain and enjoy listening to an artist follow every weird instinct, Twist of Fate might be an entertaining journey.