Wristwatch III LP
The best offering yet from this fiery Madison, WI post-garage-punk trio. This is five songs from their first record and five songs from their second record, re-recorded. This time around, they ditched the drum machine in favor of their live drummer, and it really pays off. What I dig most about this is that it’s infinitely more aggressive in nature than their previous releases, and honestly, more than most of the stuff I hear in the genre. It’s pissed-off and weird, but also really melodic and hooky, and there’s an explosiveness to the songs that was lacking on their previous releases. The music is tight, angular, intricate, and sonically combustible. You can feel the energy of them all playing together, and it makes a world of difference. There’s some killer guitar work going on, and when the bass needs to shine, it really shines. Bassist Ty Spatz lays down a sick bass line during the track “Rules,” and it’s one of my favorite moments on the album. It reminds me of an angrier DEVO meets early PAVEMENT or the BUZZCOCKS. Vocally, the JAY REATARD influence is still there, but it’s not the star of the show. Vocalist/guitarist Bobby Hussy has come into his own vocally, screaming maniacally and theatrically, adding an additional layer of tension to a record already busting at the seams with tension and anxiety. The closing track “Fix” is a highlight of the record for me and a perfect demonstration of everything I liked about the LP packed into one song. It’s tense and moody, working through several musical passages that push it past the five-minute mark before resolving and releasing all that goddamn tension. Play it loud!