Tag Archives: Arizona

NEW GUINEA PIGS ON THE BLOCK.

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Aside from having a great name, New Guinea Pigs On The Block are insane musicians. If you’re wanting something that makes you feel like you’ve heard Melvins for the first time, or if you want to feel like your brain has been smashed in and your eardrums beautifully burst- then like me, you will in love with New Guinea Pigs On The Block.

Their new record has been released via the great Italian label Area Pirata, and if you go and listen to what this label have been putting out since 2001, it is no surprise that New Guinea Pigs On The Block have found a home with them. The perfect match. This record was made to blow your mind. In the UK we have a band called PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS, and they are off the scale kind of noisy. The kind of loud that would make prudish folk squirm, and that’s exactly what New Guinea Pigs On The Block do too. They will make people feel uncomfortable with how noisy they are, but for me- it’s part of the charm.

The record has 13 songs that will move you, melt your face and make you wish you could make something like this. I wish I could. I know, I always do. I know. These 13 songs feel like they came out of someone who had been cooped up in a small space for years and just had to let it all out. Kind of like this pandemic shite really. The band are just talented beyond words. You can really picture what their live shows would be like in your mind, and when a band can paint that picture for you within seconds of getting into the record- well, you know you’ve found something to treasure.

Rib Tips is the one I’d play for someone who was on the fence about how loud they want their music to be; it’s a gentle ease into the band if that’s how you want to be. With the pubs near my flat now opened, I can drown out drunken noise with this band. Bliss! I’ll buy whatever they sell (within reason.) They are just a real joy to listen to, and I love that lo-fi feel. You feel like you’ve stepped into the deep unknown when you listen to them, and for me that’s something I really love finding in music.

You’ve got this Psych feel to the songs that makes you feel like you’re stuck in a dream, but you’re wide awake and probably a little wired too. They take you on an intense journey and part of you doesn’t want to ever leave it. Take Out The Trash is the one you probably need to play the loudest right now. It reminds me a little of MC5 in a way- that really heavy sound that you can’t get enough of. Knock On Thee Door starts quite calm compared to other songs on the record- it’s got Funk feel to it that really makes you move. Basically, this band are great. That’s all there is to it.

New Guinea Pigs On The Block are everything you could want from a band. Everything on this record they did themselves, and that gorgeous DIY feel is something to really grasp hold of. I just love the way they take you on this trip, and your mind goes off. The mind and body are split when you listen to this record, and this separation is what makes the record so addictive. Just going back to Knock On Thee Door- it is just under 7 minutes of sheer bliss. It really allows you to hear just how phenomenal they are as a band. Every band member on this song truly shines and you just can’t get enough of it. 6 minutes and 55 seconds just isn’t enough for this song. Songs like Iguana Man and Stone Hedge are nothing short of genius. The whole record is basically 13 songs of pure heaven and the insight to musical geniuses that are, New Guinea Pigs On The Block.

There’s only 3 of them in the band, but they sound like there’s about 10 of them. I love this record and this band, and with this record it is fair to say that they have created something to treasure and adore forever. I want to play it all the time and spend my days just soaking up every sound, every note on this record. It’s a monster of a record, and the band aren’t afraid to really go for it. Honestly, one of the best records I’ve heard all year!

DESTRUCTION UNIT

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I have a theory that, if it isn’t loud or makes me feel like I’ve been punched in the face, then I probably won’t be too keen on it. This is only with music. But sometimes I just want to listen to something gentle and relaxing. That said, I find Sleep to be one of the most relaxing bands I’ve ever heard. Chaos is fine by me, as is noise.

Destruction Unit, as tacky as it sounds, live up to their name. Their sound is a mixture of chaos, destruction and terror. Their music will freak you out and make you feel like you’ve taken something you maybe shouldn’t have. Their songs are loud and full of fury. They spoil the listener with their undeniable talent and ability to make you feel like you’ve cracked your head open. It’s a whirlwind, and you can’t help but feel you’ve been knocked out cold for days and you’re only just coming round.

What I love about them is that they can only be played loud. I’m fairly sure their live shows will leave you deaf for days. Making your body feel broken in all the right places. Have I ever heard anything as brutal as this before? Of course, but that doesn’t mean Destruction Uni are toss. Far from it. I’ve heard louder but I’ve not heard anything quite like it. They’re not deathly terrifying but you could probably freak your neighbours out with their music. It’s the kind of noise for those who take things a little too far, or it’s an outlet for us shy fuckers (like myself.)

I guess they’ve been described a fair few times as a “psych” band, and that description keeps getting thrown about that it becomes hard to find the good stuff. I don’t mind looking for it, but sometimes labels are a hindrance and not a help.

Negative Feedback Resistor comes out on Friday. I’ve heard nothing from it, but I’m fairly confident it is going to be one of those records where the greatness of it just smacks you in the face. Sometimes it’s okay to find one where the sheer genius of it creeps up on you, usually at times where you’re pleasantly caught off guard but I have every feeling that this release will just hit the listener between the eyes and be nothing short of a masterpiece.

Their glorious psych sound is heavier than typical psych bands. It’s like they are egging other bands on to p;lay a little louder, a little faster and to put the frighteners in the listener. They push themselves and the listener with their music, and I personally think that’s what makes them one of the best bands around and on Sacred Bones.

You want to throw your body around in a questionable fashion when you listen to them, you play them a bit louder than the last time and you fall into this sort of depraved world they have created with their menacing sound. The guitars sound like a mad man on the run. This feral sound is what keeps modern music alive. There’s nothing overproduced and nothing is compromised. It’s a solid sound that deserves to be treasured and respected. They make the kind of noise I wish I could, but as always, I just write about it.

Their Europe/UK tour starts this week, including Liverpool Psych Fest.