Scrunchies Feral Coast LP

Don’t let the quiet bass-and-vocal intro to the opener “The Houseplant” fool you, because this shit turns up and slaps. With a riot grrrl sound like SPITBOY or BIKINI KILL, this Minneapolis group has earned their keep amongst the greats. Their 2018 debut album Stunner earned them wide recognition, and Feral Coast is no lightweight follow-up. Fronted by the shouts and vocal prowess of Laura Larson (formerly of BABY GUTS and currently with KITTEN FOREVER), SCRUNCHIES is an amalgamation of too-many-to-name bands through its various members, past and present. On this release, Matt Castore’s (CONDOMINIUM) bass lines bowel-rip through the undercurrent; farty, distorted, and unrelenting. Danielle Cusack (BRUISE VIOLET) speeds through cymbal-heavy and frantic drums, only softening to let some verses be heard, then red-lines into the bridges and choruses, singing backup the whole while. It’s hard to pick a favorite track here, but “Black Egg” is up there for me with an intro that builds to the roiling “Honestly honey” hook, balancing the personal and political nature of SCRUNCHIES lyrical content. If any of the aforementioned bands pique your interest, I think you will really enjoy Feral Coast.

• Reviewer Willis Schenk
• Label Dirtnap
• Issue MRR #473 • October 2022