TUESDAY JUN 21, 2016
Bambara
Bataille
The Wolves Amongst the Flower, the new EP from noise/post-punk group Bataille, channels the philosophy of Georges Bataille, the French intellectual for whom the band is named. The writer, who was influenced by such figures as Nietzche, Hegel and Marquis de Sade, is known today for his works on mysticism, eroticism, nihilism and transgression. On Wolves, these themes exist in the strictly nonconformist aesthetic that Bataille presents – eccentric, rebellious and just rude.
This is abrasive stuff, as one may expect, but it’s too bleak to be truly confrontational. Rather, it’s disconcerting. “How Innocent,” the EP’s first proper track, may be the most accessible song here, but that’s not saying much — it starts from a typical noise rock/hardcore structure, but then extrapolates with layers of harsh noise. The vocals, like on much of the record, are incomprehensible, and vocalist John Hannah regurgitates them in a detached, sardonic manner. “Grave of Vampires” squeals out of the gate in harsh “anti-punk” fashion (as Bataille themselves describe their sound), before the band interjects with some odd feedback in the foreground. It is — and I mean this in the best way possible — vomit-inducing. Music that produces such visceral reactions in the listener should be celebrated. The 7-minute noise track which closes the record, “I Live Because I Am Free to Die,” exemplifies the concept of limit-experience, which Michel Foucault described as “the point of life which lies as close as possible to the impossibility of living, which lies at the limit or the extreme.” It is, as Bataille suggested, the experience from which the subject can tear away from itself, and this is clear in the masochistic art on display here. Indeed, the cover of the Wolves cassette features two images, both of a young woman: in the first, it appears as if she has been stabbed (and is missing a leg, to boot), and in the second, it now appears as if she did the stabbing herself – or is, at the very least, pulling the knife out.
It should be noted that the band recently underwent a name shortening, from Georges Bataille Battle Cry to simply Bataille. Not being overly familiar with Mr. Bataille’s works, I can only assume that the battle cry of which the band speaks is tied to their slogan of “Loudly ring out revolt and despair.” Even now, the band explains their aesthetic as the following: “This is not punk rock. This is theology.” Pretentious? Perhaps. But only if you’re not on their wavelength. On Wolves, Bataille’s house is in disarray, and they’ve subjected to us to their madness and self-loathing.
The Wolves Amongst the Flower, the new EP from noise/post-punk group Bataille, channels the philosophy of Georges Bataille, the French intellectual for whom the band is named. The writer, who was influenced by such figures as Nietzche, Hegel and Marquis de Sade, is known today for his works on mysticism, eroticism, nihilism and transgression. On Wolves, these themes exist in the strictly nonconformist aesthetic that Bataille presents – eccentric, rebellious and just rude.
This is abrasive stuff, as one may expect, but it’s too bleak to be truly confrontational. Rather, it’s disconcerting. “How Innocent,” the EP’s first proper track, may be the most accessible song here, but that’s not saying much — it starts from a typical noise rock/hardcore structure, but then extrapolates with layers of harsh noise. The vocals, like on much of the record, are incomprehensible, and vocalist John Hannah regurgitates them in a detached, sardonic manner. “Grave of Vampires” squeals out of the gate in harsh “anti-punk” fashion (as Bataille themselves describe their sound), before the band interjects with some odd feedback in the foreground. It is — and I mean this in the best way possible — vomit-inducing. Music that produces such visceral reactions in the listener should be celebrated. The 7-minute noise track which closes the record, “I Live Because I Am Free to Die,” exemplifies the concept of limit-experience, which Michel Foucault described as “the point of life which lies as close as possible to the impossibility of living, which lies at the limit or the extreme.” It is, as Bataille suggested, the experience from which the subject can tear away from itself, and this is clear in the masochistic art on display here. Indeed, the cover of the Wolves cassette features two images, both of a young woman: in the first, it appears as if she has been stabbed (and is missing a leg, to boot), and in the second, it now appears as if she did the stabbing herself – or is, at the very least, pulling the knife out.
It should be noted that the band recently underwent a name shortening, from Georges Bataille Battle Cry to simply Bataille. Not being overly familiar with Mr. Bataille’s works, I can only assume that the battle cry of which the band speaks is tied to their slogan of “Loudly ring out revolt and despair.” Even now, the band explains their aesthetic as the following: “This is not punk rock. This is theology.” Pretentious? Perhaps. But only if you’re not on their wavelength. On Wolves, Bataille’s house is in disarray, and they’ve subjected to us to their madness and self-loathing.
Max Pain And The Groovies
Max Pain and The Groovies are a five-piece from Salt Lake City, Utah who play rock ‘n’ roll. The group played their first show at a New Years Eve party and quickly gained a following for their manic stage presence and performances that sometimes included a fire breathing front man. They quickly recorded some demos and started touring around their region, gigging around Salt Lake, Las Vegas, Southern Idaho and Denver and growing a name for themselves in the psyche rock revival scene. In 2012 they won “band of the year” during a contest hosted by Salt Lake’s local Alt-Weekly and used the prize money to plan their first U.S. tour. Max Pain and The Groovies self-released a four-song EP on Halloween 2013. The release features scorching guitar lines, hypnotic vocals and a woozy beat. It drones at times and explodes moments later. It’s an album you can zone to or dance your ass off too. Max Pain and the Groovies released their first full length Album on New Years Eve via Psych Lake City Records for CD/Vinyl Lolipop records on Cassette and Eager Waves Records for Euro promotion and distribution. 2015 so far has them playing official SXSW showcases and caravan tours with Lolipop Records and Burger Records. Catch them at Lolipalooza 2! Drop out of school and smoke bud.
Max Pain and The Groovies are a five-piece from Salt Lake City, Utah who play rock ‘n’ roll. The group played their first show at a New Years Eve party and quickly gained a following for their manic stage presence and performances that sometimes included a fire breathing front man. They quickly recorded some demos and started touring around their region, gigging around Salt Lake, Las Vegas, Southern Idaho and Denver and growing a name for themselves in the psyche rock revival scene. In 2012 they won “band of the year” during a contest hosted by Salt Lake’s local Alt-Weekly and used the prize money to plan their first U.S. tour. Max Pain and The Groovies self-released a four-song EP on Halloween 2013. The release features scorching guitar lines, hypnotic vocals and a woozy beat. It drones at times and explodes moments later. It’s an album you can zone to or dance your ass off too. Max Pain and the Groovies released their first full length Album on New Years Eve via Psych Lake City Records for CD/Vinyl Lolipop records on Cassette and Eager Waves Records for Euro promotion and distribution. 2015 so far has them playing official SXSW showcases and caravan tours with Lolipop Records and Burger Records. Catch them at Lolipalooza 2! Drop out of school and smoke bud.
Jock Gang
With a vibe that calls back to Velvet Underground while pushing forward into detached post-punk territory, Jock Gang have a grasp on both noise and pop, favoring the former but a glimmer of the latter goes a long way. The record is dark and experimental, a seamless blend of the band's old and new songs. -posttrash.com
With a vibe that calls back to Velvet Underground while pushing forward into detached post-punk territory, Jock Gang have a grasp on both noise and pop, favoring the former but a glimmer of the latter goes a long way. The record is dark and experimental, a seamless blend of the band's old and new songs. -posttrash.com