DEAF CLUB - Productive Disruption
March 8, 2022, 2 years ago
(Three One G)
I've long been a fan of Justin Pearson (The Locust, Dead Cross, Retox, many others) and his antagonist musical outlets, most of which border on total chaos, ugly punk, and noisy grind. Deaf Club is all of the above, the band—featuring Pearson on vocals—keeping it short and sweet here on this 25-minute full-length, things starting off with the frantic “For A Good Time, Call Someone Else”, which has as a clear reference point early-era Dillinger Escape Plan, not a bad thing at all.
But this band is far more punk, as the almost absurdly manic “Chew The Fat” shows, all in your face and sweaty and faster, faster, faster, bringing to mind the screaming hardcore emo-chaos of early Ebullition Records bands (which, considering Pearson's past, makes perfect sense). The additions of layers of noise (see “Don't Forget To Live” and “Power Of Negative Thinking”) and skronky guitar riffs (“Shoplift From Jail”) adds wonderfully to the grinding chaos, and late-album tracks like “New Voodoo” and “Public Acid” just continue the mayhem, this 23-minute album not a minute too long, or a minute too short, Deaf Club tapping into punky and noisy grind just perfectly here, right down to the cool artwork.
Love the production, love the vibe, love the songs. This one will be on my year-end list, impressive considering it came out so early in the year.
