Straw Man Army Earthworks LP
From the New York City duo of Owen Deutsch and Sean Fentress comes the third album in the trilogy STRAW MAN ARMY set out to complete. Earthworks is here…but you’ve probably had a listen by this point. From mentions on NPR, to a Washington Post article, to making more than a few year-end top tens here at MRR, this is the type of acclaim that is the exception, not the rule, around the confines of this publication. Focusing on the fragile nature of our human condition—from past to present—STRAW MAN ARMY plays peace punk/anarcho-punk that is punctuated by post-hardcore rhythms and jazzy interludes. Guitar riffs move in ceaseless unison, wandering in and out of parallel movement, mirroring dual vocals that pan left to right, emphasizing introspective lyrics like “Is this all that’s left for us these days? / Apathy or rage!” from “Spiral.” I find this whole album deeply soothing, from jittery leads, quiet instrumentals, and “what the fuck are we doing here?” lyrics that make even my most self-demoralizing tendencies quiet. Try finding that antidote elsewhere. After achieving this trilogy, first with Age of Exile in 2020, then SOS in 2022, and finally with Earthworks in 2024, what, if anything, is next? Will they keep writing? Form a full band for a live debut? For some reason, I trust they won’t disappoint. For now, keep these masterpieces of records spinning.