King Buzzo With Trevor Dunn - Gift Of Sacrifice

Anytime King Buzzo and Trevor Dunn collaborate you know you're in for a good time. That being said - I am not sure I ever expected to hear the intrepid duo working together on a (Mostly) acoustic record. Yet here we are. The band has come together to craft something truly potent, a magical and twisted record that transports the reader to a weird sonic landscape. This is a record built on simplicity which belies a lot of the internal drama and the quiet brilliance that makes Gift Of Sacrifice such an all around stunner.

The thing is - though the tracks usually have fairly simple arrangements, these are counterbalanced by blasts of weirdo electronics. The twisted sounds that provide the outtro to a track like 'Bird Animal' for instance can't help but to capture the imagination. They provide a strange reprieve from some of the more traditional moments in this record. Meanwhile - the bizarro barroom rocker, 'Mock She' sees Gift Of Sacrifice going beyond and showcasing some flashy bass playing courtesy of Trevor Dunn. The gang vocals between Dunn and Buzzo on that track are unexpected though. Though we haven't heard much of Buzzo singing over acoustic music before - here he does a wonderful job - showcasing his versatility.

In brief - Gift Of Sacrifice is a masterful offering that though it may at times get into more traditional territory seems to almost always instantly return to  all sorts of  weird and outside sound inspired madness. It's a weird fucking record but one that you can get lost in. Where the earthiness of the acoustic guitar can suddenly be counterbalanced by a crazy violin solo. If you're not ready for the weird then  this won't be the album for you. But if you're looking for subversions on common themes, get ready for your brain to melt.


Check it out on Bandcamp!
https://kingbuzzo.bandcamp.com/album/gift-of-sacrifice-out-5-15-2020

Mark Deutrom - The Blue Bird

Mark Deutrom is, as those in the know are away, a sort of legend in the scene. Be it with his time in the Melvins or his work as a producer, he has been able to carve out a niche for himself that has cultivated a devout fanbase of people who love truly thoughtful and weird music. His work has always been a little bit different than most emerging from the 80s punk scene, but it has never made his music any less fascinating, and this latest offering The Blue Bird feels like a logical progression for this sonic wizard.

With innumerable layers on this record and artsy tracks that seem to ebb and flow, The Blue Bird is indicative of a much larger and transcendent approach to writing dark music. This is an album that seems to invite the listener to get lost in its many layers, to really sink your teeth into the variety of ideas that he outlines here and then begin to understand that there is a lot more to this than meets the eye. Mark Deutrom has unveiled something that while challenging, makes sense on the first listen, simply because so much of it is beautiful and the elements of weirdness are more something that you slowly feel out than notions that oppress you from the first with high minded elitism.

The Blue Bird is a potent and exciting journey, it's one that challenges the listener and which is unafraid to bring fresh and cool ideas to the table. The dark guitars of Deutrom are significantly scaled back on this release and seem to reflect more on the inherent thoughtfulness of the man himself than any desire to craft genre bending rockers. If I were to give this record a genre it would be 'adult contemporary' but it's adult contemporary in the sense that its contemporary sounding music that requires investment, and that has made me fall in love.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/markdeutrom/