Reviews

Moone

Lithics Wendy Kraemer 12″

One of the best groups going, LITHICS makes taut yet nervous sounds that would make sense at a 1981 New York loft party or a 2019 Portland basement. This propulsive collection of fragments was initially released on cassette a couple years back, and here it is just in time for the end of the world in 2020, sneaky secret sounds heard from another room, scratchy instructional dream guitars, sorta SU TISSUE delivery over “You Taste Like the Tropics” rhythms. This feels like an invitation to something that isn’t clear yet (rather than a reenactment), at any rate get it or regret it! Limited to 500!

The Sheaves Excess Death Cult Time cassette

Take a drunken somersault through your lo-fi ’90s records with a graduate of the Mark E. Smith Vocal School. Mixing angular, dissonant, chiming guitars with slurred, flat-affected vocals, the SHEAVES carve a very particular niche from influences like the early eras of GUIDED BY VOICES and PAVEMENT with likable results. “Lariat Slung” has a mysterious guitar line that brings some subtle post-punk menace. While definitely listenable, some of the tracks seem to lack a focus and build untuned strumming on top of itself over curious non-sequitur lyrics until the song ends. “Hit Silly,” the final and by far best track, does the opposite with a propulsive beat and repetitive riff that sounds like the FALL in the best way. If slightly shambolic, noisy nuggets are your jam, check it out.