THE LOCUST, NEW ERECTIONS
by Jonathan
The Locust, New Erections (Anti-, 2007)
The bug-boys are back in town with yet another robust LP that, while still not for the faint of heart, is more elaborate than their past work. Equally capable of both implausible velocity and elephantine sludge, with New Erections they’ve upped the adventure quotient and lengthened compositions while continuing to deliver the goods with precision and rampant zeal.
The bloody beast says hello with stop-start speed dynamics before “AOTKPTA” offs itself with a dirgy bludgeon. This heart-attack tempo of the intro, the Locust’s strong suit, is still the groundwork for their best and shortest tracks - the temper-tantrum of “We Have Reached an OfficialVerdict: Nobody Gives a Shit,” the syncopated adrenaline of “One Manometer Away From Mutually Assured Relocation,” the fire-bombast of “Full Frontal Obscurity,” the Satanic grind of “Hot Tubs Full of Brand New Fuel,” and the light speed swing of “Tower of Mammal.” Weighing in at record lengths of around four minutes, which, at the Locust’s rate, means epic proportions, “The Unwilling…Led By the Unqualified…Doing the Unnecessary…For the Ungrateful” and “Book of Bot” are post-apocalyptic suites for the shortest of attention spans. And the oddball, “Scavenger, Invader,” reinforces the sci-fi vibe with its drumless robotic ambience and the deeply effected sludge vocals.
My only mild complaint is that a lot of the songs begin resembling one another melodically after a bit – but then again, melody ain’t The Locust’s game. If you like your uneasy listening immediate, erratic, dissonant, and rhythmically wild, the tight thrashy din of New Erections will definitely give you a rise. A new errr… direction.
Check out these two free Locust mp3’s at NewYorkNightTrain’s Digital Dump
