Snailbones
An analog, Albini-tracked noise-rock record that stays nasty, gnarly and visceral from front to back.
The first thing you hear from Keelhaul 'em All is abrasive dissonance collapsing into kinetic drum patterns, distorted guitar and bass. Within seconds it sounds like a Steve Albini record — and it is one. His signature is all over the album, and Snailbones use it well.
This is a full-fledged analog recording that captures the actual sound of a band in a room. Anxious screams on 'Mouse Clap' ride early-Melvins melodies; 'Dead Inside' is explosive and dynamic, more a clear-eyed acknowledgment of the moment than a search for hope. 'Sweet and Serene' lays off the distortion at points and offers one of the strongest vocal performances on the record — there's a faint Chris Cornell quality in spots.
The songs are visceral and don't linger. The band doesn't get cerebral; they stay in the moment. A nasty, exciting noise-rock record for anyone still hungry for the form.
On repeat it only gets better — the arrangement keeps revealing little choices that don't announce themselves the first time through, and that's usually the mark of writing that was built to last rather than chase a moment.