In a perfect world, where I have the nerve and audacity to buy every single product that even remotely relates to my interests, or perhaps in an even more ideal scenario, where they all just show up in my PO Box without me needing to know that they had been given birth to: I would already have loved Body Rot a year before hearing this split 7" when their first two cassettes would have shown up, and been played over and over: for myself, and for a few friends who would undoubtedly leave the tape itself and artwork/shell in two different corners of the room (does Gerald Biggs do that on purpose? I think he likes to test me, and I respect that just fine).
Yes, I put out a Pigeon Religion 7", but contrary to the common assumption, that doesn't mean that I know about every weirdo Cult Ritual / Youth Attack (etc) off-shoot project, even if when you investigate, it's usually worth the time (Slave Scene, Neon Blud, etc). I would have liked to know that Body Rot (a project culling members from not only Cult Ritual, but Slave Scene as well), were so up my alley and that they should have veered into my path much earlier.
Meanwhile: Cephia's Treat is a label that I've always had much respect for, and this 7" continues to impress. CT releases have this universal theme and quality to them, at least through my eyes. Most notably tossing out a ton of classics from The New Flesh, Sword Heaven, 16 Bitch Pile-Up, Byron House and Russian Tsarcasm / Tsarlag, they are always nicely put together in this specific home-made looking way (meaning somehow, you can often guess that it's on CT, or at least won't be surprised when you find out), and there is something that is simultaneously playful /and light-hearted, but also tangible and universally appreciated about virtually all of the bands / artists. I'd like to believe that I am right about that, but people can be strange (and I myself have moments where I would prefer to be taken 100% seriously, no smiling allowed).
Ant Parade (who now performs as No Milk, fyi), is a perfect example of the feeling I have regarding most CT releases. She uses simple methods to create compelling beautiful movements, and while I'd fear that people would solely compare her work to that of U.S. Girls or Grouper, just because she's a she (and singing along with instruments other than a guitar), I do actually think an Inca Ore reference would be fine. I hear a mature bedroom project that slowly creeps more towards Broadcasts' "Tender Buttons", however. Having already been following what she's been up to, I was really happy to hear that the first song I've come across that has made the trek away from CD or cassette, is also my absolute favorite of her's thus far.
Body Rot's contribution is a cacophony of overblown (and often smashed) keyboards, sideways guitars and busy, stop and go drums, instantly reminding me a lot of Death Sentence: Panda!'s early recordings, and similar in energy to No Babies (look them up!) though favorably more stripped down and wrecked sounding than either, the kind of side of a split 7" that (being redundant, here) irritates you that you lack the internet / download savvy that is the norm these days, as again: there's two tapes from these people that I am positive are long gone. The kind of stuff that would be the most fringe on a Kill Rock Stars comp in the 90s, or undoubtedly some Huggy Bear side-project that set up in the alley instead of just jumping on shows. This is as far from Cult Ritual as The Bitters are from Fucked Up (if that makes any sense, which I hope it does - as I really enjoy Bitters but have only ever heard a couple Fucked Up songs here or there). Dare I just also say that this sounds Canadian in general (in the best of ways, I promise)?
Perhaps what is most interesting about this though, is that while listening to the sides back and forth a few times while typing this up, the vast difference between the two didn't really even cross my mind until just now, which I think only goes to attest to the universal appeal that I think applies to the Cephia's Treat camp. Or maybe I just had two opposite ends of my interests pleasantly surprised at the same time. It's anyone's guess, I suppose.
I take that back, perhaps the most interesting thing on here is the laughter that happens twice at the end of the Body Rot side. ...and while I am not the sort to gamble, I am willing to bet that it's Carlos Tsarlag. What is at stake?
0 comments:
Post a Comment