Album Review: Criminal Hygiene ‘CRMNL HYGNE’
A cauldron is bubbling in Los Angeles. If Ty Segall and his Bay Area cohort serve as the current epicenter of garage rock, then the LA scene is its misfit younger brother. He just got his first fake ID, but hasn’t yet been tossed around by enough bouncers to know when to keep quiet. From the polished (Allah-Las) to the rambunctious and squirrely (The Orwells, Gap Dream) this group is latent with a crop of talent well-studied and cocksure enough to add a noteworthy chapter to a saturated genre.
Criminal Hygiene‘s misspelled, self-titled debut CRMNL HYGNE proves the least predictable and arguably most unrefined release of the bunch. It’s a raw sound that ranges from full throttle prog-punk one moment to bleak, atmospheric melancholia the next. Criminal Hygiene leans more heavily on the aggressive, early 70s-era garage rock than the sun-baked, late 60s Box Tops and Nuggets material that feels like the driving force behind its peers.
CRMNL HYGNE breaks down into 17 tracks, however a handful serve as 45 second segues or more accurately momentary tangents. More than a symptom of the group’s collective ADHD, these deviations serve as the transition sentence between what might otherwise feel like disjointed paragraphs. Despite the lengthy track listing, the album clocks in at a concise 43 minutes.
Criminal Hygiene’s modus operandi remains faithful to garage rock’s three and four chord progressions built around rebellion and angst, but the band isn’t afraid to take risks. The circus-like keyboard line and boiled down mantra of “Get An Education” serves as an excellent example. Criminal Hygiene doesn’t force their aesthetic by screaming, “Fuck School!” Instead, the band relies on the absurdity of the song’s structure to question authority for them.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there can never be too many bands like this. As long as disenchanted youth need an outlet for their angst there will remain an audience for a release like CRMNL HYGNE. It may not prove as cerebral as the latest art rock album, but that doesn’t make it an any less satisfying kick in the pants. Grab your copy of the album from Small Smile Records. Check out our initial post on Criminal Hygiene’s debut single “Blak Water” and listen to “Rearrange Me” below.
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Written by Rob Peoni
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (trailer)
Memphis four-piece Big Star belongs in the pantheon of 1970s rock gods. A new documentary featuring never-before-seen footage and photos of the band, in-depth interviews and a musical tribute by the bands they inspired is slated for release later this year. Drew DeNicola and Oliva Mori directed Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me. DeNicola is no stranger to the rock doc. He is the brains behind the ongoing documentary project Natural Soul Brother: The Original Black Radio DJs. DeNicola is also the editor behind VICE’s video arm, VBS.tv.
BIG STAR: NOTHING CAN HURT ME traces the origins and history of the legendary band from the late sixties with lead singer Alex Chilton sky-rocketing to stardom at the age of sixteen with The Box Tops and their #1 hit, “The Letter” to the serendipitous meeting of Chilton and local Memphis singer-songwriter-guitarist, Chris Bell; through the tumultuous recording of the group’s three landmark albums, #1 Record, Radio City and Third/Sister Lovers (Ardent Records); culminating with their implosion due to failed record sales, personal breakdowns and the tragic death of Chris Bell in 1978.
-From BigStarStory.com
Trailer:
Written by Rob Peoni
Album Preview: Adam Green & Binki Shapiro
I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of Adam Green and Binki Shapiro‘s self-titled debut. The album’s first two singles “Here I Am” and “Collage” have served to thoroughly whet my appetite. The album became available for pre-order today via Rounder Records. Deluxe editions include a hand-numbered, limited edition (1/200) print designed by the artists and a matching t-shirt. Watch a short video that features Shapiro & Green waxing poetic about their creative process below. The album drops on January 29.
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 