Male Gaze, “King Leer” (Castleface, 2016)
Their first one essayed the then-current garage-punk/doom-post-punk fusion with an unusually heavy and relentless attack, and I dug it to the max. This follow-up isn’t as heavy, but repeat listens show it to be even better, the kind of record that’s likely to sound classic in ten years. The singer’s voice has gained the depth and command of a bongwater-soaked Bryan Ferry, and the psych-pop usages taken at face value by others are here deployed into mood-shifting et anthemic songs, in an evolution reminiscent – and worthy – of Fuckup-icons of earlier generations from Hüsker Dü to Dinosaur Jr. to the Fresh and Onlys. Very highly recommended.
Try 1, 4,6
4/7/19