[Gumshoe's review of Shearing Pinx's Ultra Snake LP]
[Download the entirety of Shearing Pinx's Ultra Snake HERE (then buy it)]
Shearing Pinx are one of the few bands you can always count on to SLAM-BANG it home. Release-in, release-out, as you’ll see circa the numerous writing I’ve done on them over the last few years, they get the job done.
It’s no surprise, then, that the Void White LP delivers in droves, transferring the group’s no-doubt frenetic live show into a compelling record. Their tricks aren’t really that tricky, but for some reason most bands don’t ever locate ShxPx’s plane of rhythmic, churning intensity, much like most groups can’t duplicate early Helmet, Drive Like Jehu, Botch or Unsane.
Take a band like These Arms Are Snakes, for example. Good history, decent music, semi-big following, but the FIRE was never there, that terror-stricken angst that causes young men to do crazy things. Their complex songs and twisting, turning compositions were similar to that of Shearing Pinx, yet I’d take the latter in a heartbeat in fantasy band draft.
S-Pinx also are expert noisesmiths. They couch ratchet-clanks with squeals and rubbery burps with the best of ‘em, and their flexibility allows them to fill groove after groove with compelling content. BRING THAT KICK, you bastard, and don’t spare the string-slamming, neither — that old chestnut.
Side B of Void White is of particular interest if you crave the sort of throbbing, swoom-swoom-SWOOP of bands like Landed and Starving Weirdos. “Bursxt” chugs and burbles, glug-glugs and curdles up speakers like Melvins guitars or Okie Dokie screaming. Speaking of screaming, Shearing Pinx don’t do much of it, and strangely, it doesn’t matter a mite. The urgency is there …
Pinx prove that, while punk is fun, hardcore often gets better as those playing it progress and develop their core values. I support what they’re doing because the scene that has coalesced around them has contributed a lot to my enthusiasm toward the state of non-chillwave ROCK-SOCK-DROP and POP. It would be a shame if all of the great Isolated Now Waves/Mongst/Totally Ripped/ShxPx/etc. releases were to only attract the attention they deserve once years and years have passed. Canada isn’t that far away, mind ye …
And with that I bid thee adieu. Keep it crabulicious.
