REISSUES:
The Jesus Lizard Goat Touch & Go Records
September 28 2023
Chaotic. Caustic. Refined. Sparse. Savage. The Jesus Lizard, and this reissue of Goat, specifically, is quintessential ’90s Noise Rock. Epitomizing the freedom and liberating paradigms of ’90s music, The Jesus Lizard stood alone in a very dark, isolating corner. Technically the band formed 1987, but a drum machine was used on their first release, Pure (Touch & Go, 1988). By their debut album, Head (Touch & Go, 1990), they had added new drummer, Mac McNeilly. The band’s sound was distinguished by the twangy, menacing, psych-surf guitar sound of Duane Denison. Vocalist, David Yow (who is an instrument himself) and bassist, David Wm. Sims both came from Austin’s Scratch Acid. The Jesus Lizard had a reputation because of their unpredictable, feral live sets due to the antics of the spastic, provocative snarls and erratic impulses of Yow. To read his name on this webpage does nothing to relay his charisma and urgency. By Goat (Touch & Go, 1991), the band had coalesced into a synergetic entity with the rhythm section of David Wm. Sims and Mac McNeilly pounding harsh rhythms. To boot the records was produced by Steve Albini (Big Black, Shellac guitarist; producer of everything) at his creative zenith.
The Jesus Lizard’s sound was extremely unique with attributes discerning them from other noise bands. They did not sound like peers/contemporaries Helmet, Melvins, Cows, etc, or the rosters of Touch & Go or Amphetamine Reptile. But to talk of their sound, you can never disparage the influence of Dicks. Obviously noted, because The Jesus Lizard covered “Wheelchair Epidemic”. More so, they embraced and morphed their sonic abnormalities from Dicks’ irreverent, abrasive, antagonistic, bluesy, swaying Texas Punk. To describe the nine tracks of Goat, musically a paranoid miasma, the attempts of a staggering drunk, or on meth or coke or others drugs which I never done but that feels more appropriate because there is a filth, a feeling of steel wool across contaminated flesh and open sores. The first three tracks, “Then Comes Dudley,” and “Mouthbreather” hypnotize with an unclean blend of bad meth cut with rat poison. Yow’s storytelling taps a little Tom Waits with its random yet illustrative approach to the banal. The tension is always palpable, triggering the listener’s brain to the verge of collapsing or into a violent outrage. It’s a dizzying goose chase. The slide guitar over the MacNeilly beat intro to “Nub” is seductive, haunting. The rhythm section leaves a big empty space (Steve Albini production helps this) so Denison’s guitar lines hit like razorwire. Weaving punk, surf, rockabilly, noise rock, and alternative elevated The Jesus Lizard jut out of the record bin in the grunge era. This record is incredibly influential to what the ’90s would become sonically; maybe call it proto post-hardcore (Can that be a thing?). Denison did study classical guitar at college and you can hear the timing as this music is filtered through jazz structures.
Goat has no dead space or lulls. The middle third of “Seasick,” “Monkey Trick,” and “Karpis” allow Yow to add his exasperated breaths in between intelligible dialect. “Seasick” emulates waves lapping against a dingy as Yow spatters. Then “Monkey Trick explodes with a dope Sims’ bass line. Again, Denison weaponizes hallucinogenic trepidation. “Karpis” winds and swindles your ears with repetitive plucking as picking, vindictive and filtered through insecurity and jealousy. MacNeilly’s pounding snare adds a distinct element on this track. The closing third never slows or tires: “South Mouth,” “Lady Shoes,” Rodeo in Juliet.” The double layering of Yow’s vocals on “South Mouth,” and Albini’s engineering of left vs right is genius and, with good headphones, sounds like a crashing argument and/or righteous tirade in your head. “Lady Shoes” picks up the pace with a dark, winding feel and Yow is straight growling. Rager. “Rodeo in Juliet” is a perfect closer. (Goat is sequenced very well all together.) The final track is the longest at 4:48. Meandering riffs and plodding drums and Yow’s ‘quiet’ voice all blend to drag you for the last section of an exhausting, cathartic trek.
(Now go check out Liar…)
Vinyl: White 180 gm, 2000
Buy here at Touch & Go
“Vinyl includes coupon for digital album download plus 5 bonus tracks not included on the LP itself.
Packaged in a deluxe gatefold album jacket with 12″x 24″ double sided color insert of never before seen photos and extensive liner notes by the band and by journalists who were there when it was all happening.
Remastered in 2009 by Steve Albini and Bob Weston”
Check out The Jesus Lizard’s Touch & Go releases on bandcamp
EPs:
Monolord It’s All the Same Relapse Records
September 8 2023
Monolord satiate fans with two new tracks. Relapse does an exquisite job for this EP, as they always do. The Gothenburg, Sweden trio has been chugging out doom/sludge with some harmony since 2013. Their first two records, Empress Rising (2014, Easy Rider) and Vaenir (2015, Riding Easy), were heavier, super down-tuned and crushing. Since then, with three albums left in their wake, their sound is honed. The production on this EP is exactly as it should be: slow paced, the feel of the music is grandiose. Two tracks, one per side. “Glaive (It’s All the Same)” is six minutes and “The Only Road” is six minutes forty seconds. The chunky, heavy riffs are ever present, drenched in fuzz. The vocals are sung. Monolord is fantastic at what they do and we should never ask them to do anything else. I do lean toward the first two darker records and “Rust” (their third, 2017, Riding Easy Records). But these are captivating and feeling fresh. These tracks are sinister and disturbing with enveloping soundscapes. Fans of peers such as Beastmaker, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, and Dopelord will be stoked. Sung vocals and more hypnotic doom without getting too sludge is the tried and true formula.
Follow Monolord on Instagram.
12″ at 45 RPM for full audio orgasmic delight.
Order Vinyl and merch here
First Press:
539 x Canary Yellow Standard Gram *Relapse.com Exclusive*
357 x Black Ice with Violet, Neon Violet and Canary Yellow Splatter Standard Gram *Relapse.com Exclusive*
268 x Canary Yellow and Violet Merge with Canary Yellow and Violet Splatter Standard Gram *Relapse.com Exclusive*
108 x Canary Yellow and Violet Half ‘n Half with Black Splatter Standard Gram *Band Exclusive*
100 x Clear (Not available to the public – Friends of band and label only)
