Problem Addict Tick cassette
Debut five-song cassette from Pennsylvania. I am going to assume Philadelphia, as that’s where the label is from, but I cannot be sure about that. PROBLEM ADDICT mostly plays spooky, mid-tempo grunge-tinged garage punk. There are elements of other different punk subgenres sprinkled in on this recording, like the weird, short synthy interlude and repetitive instrumental industrial outro track, but grunge and garage are what feels prevalent to me. The thing most confusing to me about PROBLEM ADDICT is the seeming lack of self-awareness. For example, I would have assumed this was a self-titled cassette until I did some online searching. While there is a drawing of a tick making obscene hand gestures on the cover, only on the internet is it referred to as the Tick EP. Stylistically, it can be hard to describe yourself or your own projects, but attaching a self-proclaimed “egg-punk” tag to this feels confusing as hell to me. That is a genre almost exclusively synonymous with recordings being lo-fi, and I would describe this recording as anything but that. This tape feels very produced and slick. “It’s a Joke” is a pretty killer garage punk track that stands out, however.