In a time where cookie cutter pop and overproduced trash holds sway, filling car speakers and headphones with meaningless drivel and self important arrogance masquerading as art, truly unique voices have become a rarity. Thankfully, for those willing to scratch the surface and thrust their hands into the musical soil below, there are still brilliant treasures to be discovered. A few years ago I was lucky enough to stumble on a bit of such musical gold in a double wide trailer turned honky tonk bar in Nashville. Under the dim lights in the back of the room, three unassuming young men from Brooklyn stumbled forward out of the darkness and transported the audience to a time when music was wild and art was dangerous. Shop Talk may be one of rock n roll’s best kept secrets, but with their debut eponymous full length finally surfacing, the secret is out and it’s glorious.
Shop Talk have spent years honing their craft on the road, the result of which is a carefully curated record that feels both fresh and lived in at the same time. With minimal overdubs, the record feels alive in a way that modern records rarely are. The lyrics are dark and mysterious, evoking the spirit of the west coast hardcore of the late 70’s and sung in a pleasantly sneering melodic manner that wouldn’t be out of place on an early Buzzcocks album. Musically, the band wields its tunes like a blunt instrument. They don’t ease you in or reassure you with saccharine platitudes. This music is bold and captivating, like a sonic midnight movie. It draws you in with beautifully vibrant darkness and leaves your head spinning, ready to dive back in to the chaos to discover the meaning in the madness.
Recorded in the throws of collective fever, the record kicks off with the distorted buzzsaw attack of live staple “ Ramona”. Singer Jon Garcia spits and snarls his lyrical violence through clenched jaws, wailing with a charismatic vibrato that carries throughout the record. Tristan Griffin’s deep punching bass and Alexander Pirelli’s manic drums rumble and give ample support to the reverb drenched guitars that swirl around the sonic space of brilliantly catchy tracks like previously released singles “Black Friar’ and “Mirage of Love”. The fuzzy hypnotic beat of “Saltillo” temporarily offers a brief reprieve, slowing the tempo but never letting up on the anxious and infectious energy that builds and writhes across the majority of the record, only to be thrust back into the manic chaos of tracks like “Camp Hero” and “Terra Damnata” . Each song stands strong while simultaneously blending seamlessly among the collection.
The production is lean and punchy, with little in the way of added frills which helps to give the album a raw and timeless feel, displaying the tracks in all their nakedly wild glory. It’s lean and muscular, with not a second of wasted space. If you crave the dark and seek something that will transport you to the violently artistic punk rock of days past, this record might just do the trick. I won’t do the album the disservice of trying to compare it directly to other classics. This music deserves to speak for itself, and you owe it to yourself to listen closely. Check it out and grab your copy over on Bandcamp.
Photo by Ebru Yildiz