Just before last Christmas, we introduced y’all to Deaf Club, the latest in a long line of bands and projects from Justin Pearson, Brian Amalfitano, Scott Osment, Jason Klein and Tommy Meehan. This latest amalgamation saw the quintet further tapping into their mutual ability and desire to create spazzy grind-punk that mimics the sound of swarms of murder hornets and angry crows — I’m trying hard to avoid saying locusts! — attacking Devo, Melt-Banana, Daughters and the showroom at the Moog Factory. Back then, Deaf Club was on the cusp of the release of their debut, Productive Disruption and given their collective work ethic and time provided by the pandemic slowdown, they were also able to knock out an EP entitled Bad Songs Forever due out May 6th.
Featuring three originals and a cover of the Pixies’ “Broken Face,” Bad Songs Forever continues to….well…why not let the band decode the insanity. Says guitarist Brian Amalfitano: “With Bad Songs Forever we tried to dial into and sort of code the language of modern digital anxieties as a sound. It’s artificial intelligence created by primitive humans who have to rush to power down the monster before it grows out of their control (like HAL9000). It’s an earworm torture device blasting like LRAD sound canons, ready to annoy the neighbors, the cops and your family all at once.”
We’re remain hopeful this bunch of fellas will stand with flesh and blood during the rise of the machines, and have created enough sonic chaos and dissent from within to help mankind beat the robots at their own game. If not, at least we can experience Deaf Club at “a heightened state of controlled chaos” as they “continue to meld d-beat and thrash sensibilities with unhinged battery acid buzzes, disgruntled rhythms, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics spit cynical and sharp.” Even Joey Santiago of the Pixies approves, remarking upon hearing the cover: “Love it! Going to steal that Feedback Pedal Effect.”
What think you?
Bad Songs Forever was recorded by Alex Estrada at Pale Moon Audio and Tommy Meehan. Mixed and mastered by Brent Asbury. Album art and design by Paul Rentler. Pressed on limited edition color vinyl, released by Three One G and Sweatband Records. Preorder from Three One G Records, here. Go see them live at any one of the following locales:
May 7 Tempe, AZ @ The Beast
May 8 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
May 9 Tulsa, OK @ The Whittier Bar
May 10 Dallas, TX @@ Rubber Gloves
May 12 Austin, TX @ Oblivion Fest
May 14 San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
May 16 El Paso, TX @ Madre
May 17 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
May 18 Los Angeles,CA @ The Smell
June 8 San Diego, CA @ Bring By Brick
June 9 Los Angeles, CA @ Resident
*pic #1 by Geoffrey Nicholson, pic#2 by Becky DiGiglio
