Coward by Made Out Of Babies

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https://neurotrecordings.merchtable.com/artists/made-out-of-babies
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Made Out Of Babie’s sophomore Neurot Recordings album was recorded with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago, which could only be described as a match made in… loud. Where its previous album Trophy condensed its songs into a single psychotic impulse, Coward blasts its sound inward as well as outward, like a cathartic supernova from a band driven beyond any point of being rational. Does that sound like hyperbole, coward?

Take a listen: from the very first throat-searing yowl that opens the album, Coward is, quite simply, bigger that you. “Proud To Drown” lurches with Cooper’s staccato bass line tugging at Matt’s pulsating 6/8 drum pattern while Brendan’s Middle Eastern tinged riff winds it all up to erupt. While “Fed” temporarily cools the band’s frenetic energy to greasy throb, it seems primarily to highlight the fact that Julie can really sing – not that any of us are likely to coax a sweet lullaby out of her anytime soon. But, her vocal acrobatics -- leaping effortlessly from a demure whisper to a note-perfect murderous scream -- are in finest form here, reminiscent of Leslie Rankine of Silverfish and/or a more demented Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Throughout, the album Made Out of Babies remains evocative, intimidating, brutally frank and -- as the International rock press shouted with glee over the band’s stunning Neurot Recordings debut Trophy – by far the label’s most unabashedly rocking outfit.

There’s no rock machismo in the sounds of Made Out of Babies, which just might be what makes it so unsettling and unique. Instead, the group bears a mysteriously unified all-out visual and aural aesthetic assault reminiscent of mid-period Black Flag. And yet, there’s a certain curious glamour to MOoB that gives it a monolithic appeal.