CNTS is a classy band. You already know that before you’ve heard a note of the music. So for the uninitiated (this being the band’s second album, following their self-titled 2019 debut) what are you going to expect of Thoughts & Prayers (Ipecac Recordings)?
Well, you’d be wise to read a heavy sense of irony in the album’s title. In the time between the band’s debut and the latest record, vocalist Matt Cronk was in a major car accident, which led to his vocal cords being so damaged he couldn’t even speak for a time. Needless to say, he made a full recovery to the surprise of his doctors. The album’s title pokes fun at the banality of that stock response to tragedy. Add to this the cover’s wheelchair-bound Cronk (presumably it is he) with a stocking over his head and a blazing fire in the background, you can rest assured nothing on Thoughts & Prayers is a search for any sympathy.
The album opens with back-to-back humdingers, each successive track showcasing what makes this album great. Simplicity and directness is the name of the game. Nothing especially avant-garde or oblique, but rather the dirty, chunky, scuzzy sweet spot down the seam of your sweaty leather jacket, where punk and rock meet and rub up against each other. Like Mötorhead, CNTS are making music that kicks open your door with a dirty boot and then stomps through your house. Fuck your carpets.
The opener “I Won’t Work For You” is musically, as it is lyrically, blunt and snarling, simple, and catchy. The title track follows on the wave of a giant-mosquito guitar buzz, reminiscent of Jesus Lizard, with the track overall (as elsewhere) evoking the NY noise rock of Unsane. For the first two seconds “Smart Mouth” appears to be a “Helter Skelter” cover before settling into another irresistible rhythm, this time in the shape of a hard stomp. The lyrics here feel like a mission statement, namely: fuck everyone. “Dear Sir” follows, the most clearly Hardcore in tone and featuring a sexy as fuck ascending riff.
These four tracks alone justify the price of admission (being that they are as good as perfect). In fact, there is a bit of a sense as the album progresses that the band front-loaded the album, with nothing quite matching the delight of the album’s first third. That said, there’s still plenty left to entertain (like the ironic electro Peaches/Ween feel of “For A Good Time (Don’t Call Her)”, or the delightful first-person story of a junky who’s fed up and done (on “Junkie”).
The latter track is also a suitable moment to shout out how great the drumming of Kevin Avery is on the record. There’s no unnecessary flashiness, just good ol’, grimey, hard-hitting, beats and rhythms, and powerful fills that’ll make you want to shake your stuff and spit in the nicely-arranged flowers on the table.
At times, vocalist Cronk has a touch of the Mike Patton snarl in his delivery, or the aggro-cool of Iggy Pop or Henry Rollins (the music also at times brings to mind The Stooges and Black Flag). The guitars and bass of Michael Crain, Koko Arabian, and Rico Adair round out the whole package (lead guitarist Crain throwing in a few choice leads when the mood takes him). Never trying to dazzle with virtuosity, but always holding you down with nasty rhythms and grooves while they stick their collective, slimy tongue in your ear. Lovely.
You knew they were bad news before you even came to answer the door. CNTS are here to fuck around and break things. Get on board.
Buy the album here:
https://cntsla.bandcamp.com/album/thoughts-prayers
8 / 10
TOM OSMAN