After jaw-dropping work by Dog Fashion Disco/Polkadot Cadaver, Jim Thirlwells’ Foetus projects, and Tod A.’s Cop Shoot Cop/Firewater, this is rudimentary.
Randy Newman’s bouncy piano work and raspy, optimistic female vocals feel like the first sip of coffee in the morning or a cool breeze coming across the park.
The sound is ’70s enough, the vocal snarl is acceptable, and the sing-song “no more pencils” is delightful, but there’s really nothing new brought to the song.
The double-bass is too far forward, the guitars are an afterthought, and the horror strings don’t take the moonlight until three minutes into this snoozer.
“Downer Surrounded by Uppers” is more fist-pumping L7 yowl and Medicine fuzz, “Knelt” is a gorgeous sludge crawl, like Kylsea, or other plodding stoner doom.