Brooklyn noise-pop trio A Place To Bury Strangers are frequently tagged as “retro.” To many, late ’80s U.K.-based noise groups never went away.
Some, like My Bloody Valentine, still seem contemporary. The Raveonettes are a good approximation of The Jesus & Mary Chain’s pop side, but aren’t dangerous enough to draw any blood. Norway’s Serena-Maneesh hits closer to the mark, a bit like The Birthday Party playing Ride covers, fronted by Nico and Chick Corea. But few bands today match the chainsaw freneticism of A Place To Bury Strangers.
On this year’s self-titled debut LP, the group lays out their philosophy succinctly in the song “To Fix the Gash in Your Head.” Singer/guitarist Oliver Ackermann croons, “I want to beat you up / I don’t care and I won’t feel sorry.” It’s easy to call his bluff, but the message is clear — this band is out to get you.
The LP was intermittently recorded over the span of four years, and a listener hardly needs liner notes to tell. Each song is sonically distinct; some drift into space while others are uncomfortably direct. Vocals shift in and out of focus. Guitars clatter in the distance and disappear. Even the drum machine is part time, sharing the record with live drummer Jay Space.
Regardless, the album is one razor-edged fuzz blast after another. The opening clangs of “Missing You” should wake neighbors at low volume. “Another Step Away” steals a beehive or two from the Jesus & Mary Chain, and “My Weakness” shimmers like a knife. Letdowns are seldom heard, and the top material ranks with the best skronk-pop made since 1987 or so.
Ackermann is a gifted songwriter, capable of weaving different approaches into his band’s focused attack. The album’s strongest songs, “Don’t Think Lover” and “I Know I’ll See You,” break from the album’s pace, highlighting his strong melodic sense while maintaining intensity.
“Don’t Think Lover” is an insouciant love song, by turns achingly beautiful and corrosive, and “I Know I’ll See You” is a nod to Mancunian post-punk. Comparisons are inevitable, but originality isn’t what they’re selling. A Place To Bury Strangers seem capable of finding a voice, but for now, they’re content to kick your ass.
– Mike McGovern
A Place To Bury Strangers: www.aplacetoburystrangers.com
Killer Pimp Records: www.killerpimp.com