Having followed Learning Curve Records for a fair old while, it was exciting to see one of their number, Bronson Arm, pop up on the Ghost Cult reviews list. Other noteworthy acts from said label that are worthy of investigation include The Tunnel, Something Is Waiting and Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends, to name but a few.
“Pleasure Brea” comes across like a slightly less frantic Drive Like Jehu and was a little surprising sonically speaking. There are even nods to bands like Chicago’s finest Tar, but more restrained by comparison and not the kind of in-your-face noise rock one would usually come to expect from the Learning Curve stable.
“Hard Pass” recalls the lumbering post-punk of Poundland and psych-punkers Kooba Tercu and that psych feel offers the track a drone-like quality, before the pace soon picks up in the second half to produce what is some pretty tasty hardcore pummelling.
“Tedious Company” by comparison dispenses with any such niceties to deliver what is a far more direct approach, a veritable earworm that sound-wise is a kindred spirit to Helmet‘s “Bad Mood”.
“Conscious Confuser” is a curious beast and fans of the Minutemen and Fugazi (the title does appear to come from McKaye and Co.’s rulebook) should be able to appreciate some of the winding riffs and offbeat time signatures on display, and f you miss bands like Polvo and Brainiac, hell even throw a bit of Bluetip in there, then “His Ilk” will delight you with its math-rock vibe – something which is never a bad thing.
“Drain The Coffers”, as the shortest number on the album, is a little faster and more abrasive. Think Sonic Youth during their heyday, especially with the delicious amount of discordance present that will have listeners positively drooling. “One With The Floor” has the potential to go down as a certifiable, instant classic; both brooding and menacing, there are subtle Godflesh vibes, while. “Patsy Ultima” is another short track at a mere 1:50, a rumbustious delight with vocals akin to that of Flipper‘s Bruce Loose.
Leading us towards the finish line is “Rabbit Starvation”, which again seems to tap into the band’s psych underbelly. “The Devil You Know” has a heavy emphasis on experimentation with the use of some sexy free jazz horns courtesy of Disco Behemoth as well as spoken word from Aaron Marko, and curiously it recalls some of the more outright eccentric moments on Ministry‘s criminally underrated masterpiece, Dark Side of the Spoon and proves a superb conclusion to the album.
Although a duo, Bronson Arm have delivered an album far more nuanced and hence rewarding than your bog standard noise rock outfit. So, check ’em out.
Buy the album here:
https://bronsonarm.bandcamp.com/album/s-t
8 / 10
REZA MILLS