Where they from?
Chicago, Chi-town, Chi-raq, the Windy City. The word “Chicago” is derived from a French rendering of the indigenous Miami-Illinois word “Shikaakwa,” meaning “wild onions.” Remember that scene in the second Ace Ventura film where he’s told the name of the tribe’s sacred bat was “Shakaka” and every time he said it they had to bow so he kept saying similar words to it to try and fool them and one of the words was “Chicago”? I sure do.
What do they sound like?
Great green globs of greasy grimey goregrind.
Why the hype?
Before I describe this band’s music I just want to acknowledge the fact that last year they put out a split with Bummer and that the opening track to their side, “Spoonful of Mayonnaise” opens with one of the best samples I have ever heard. It literally made me laugh out loud in the back of a NYC taxi when I first heard it, which is a place much more conducive to existential anxiety than laughter.
That sample kind of sums up what this band is about. A few weeks ago I wrote about Martha’s Got A Limp Wrist and how the Chicago area has sort of developed it’s own unique spinoff of the Midwest gore hyper blast sound. Born Backwards are definitely in the thick of that wave, though I feel like their sounds does incorporate some elements from the Northwest/Bay Area mince sound that was popular a few years ago. This two-piece definitely falls within the realm of GORE but isn’t as infatuated with speed as some of their peers as much as they are in laying on the riffs NICE AND THICK JUST LIKE THE DEEP DISH PIZZA THEY GOT OVAH THERE. OHHHHHH!
Latest Release?
Split release with Shrivel Up released in February. Like I said earlier, this release is their heaviest to date and also easily the best produced batch of songs the band has unleashed. It’s filthy enough to appeal to fans of the Oakland grind scene — imagine Fiend but with a sense of humor rather than pure rage. “Angry Amputation” begins with a Hemdale-like goresoaked breakdown before blasting into crusty D-beat and filth. Listen to these guys, ya JAG OFFS!
