JJ and the A’s Rhetoric of Trash LP
Denmark’s JJ AND THE A’S don’t ape their inspirations. Instead, their well-digested influences are spewed forth as unique refreshments for the chronically bored. Sleek, synth-laden melodies create musical mood lighting, effortlessly hauling hunks of dramatic discontent via poetic lyrics. This twelve-track album’s playful cover art with a tapestry of doodles, amongst which the word “punk” is written four times, the word “psycho” is written no less than four times, and “RAMONES” is inexplicably featured once, is somewhat misleading, as the contents within don’t quite match its perceived whimsy. The songs have the inherent urgency of punk, the dexterous weight of deathrock, and the powerful brevity of hardcore at once, resulting in a formidably heavy trip. Regardless of your particular interests, it would be a feat to listen to this whole thing all the way through without being sucked into its magnetic distinction at least a little bit.