2014 has been a good year for noisy genres. Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore, and Post Punk have all gotten albums and songs to shine in the spotlight this year (If you haven’t heard Savages’ Fuckers yet, you might want to reevaluate how you live your life). Cloud Nothings, Have a Nice Life, and a bunch of other bands have released albums that I keep raving about to people. There’s also been an influx of awesome metal albums that I haven’t even gotten around to listening to yet. However, out of all of these great things, there’s one album that’s been the most striking.
Young Widows is a Noise Rock outfit from Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to Noisy Rock, they also add elements of Post-Hardcore and a subtle influence of heavier Post Punk into their music. They’re loud and they’re brutal. While their latest album, Easy Pain, is their fourth record, it is easily their best and most definitive album to date. The fact that a group that’s just a trio can create these massive walls of abrasive noise is incredible, the fact that this noise can sustain itself over an entire album- without melting into generic and intolerable noise- is even more impressive.
The first three tracks alone immediately establish just how intense the rest of the record will be. Godman opens with some modulated feedback that disappears and gives way to some of the heaviest riffing to ever open an album. The onslaught of guitar and drum is overwhelming, with the bluesy tone of the guitar taking the reigns almost immediately. Evan Patterson comes in on vocals that evoke a bit of Mastodon and a bit of Queens of the Stone Age, presenting a subtle intensity that bubbles, yet never fully boils. It’s a commanding introduction to an album that never relents. The heavy tornado furor of Cool Night includes some of the heaviest noise on the record, creating a warped and unstable sound that could fall apart at any moment. It never does, but it gets precariously close.
This melts into the lead single from the album, the explosive Kerosene Girl. On one of the best tracks of 2014, the light vocals join with the repetitive guitar. Within the first minute of the track, Patterson already sounds like he’s on the brink of a breakdown. This madness ensues for over 5 minutes, with the song being sucked into this void of noise and distortion that does not relent until the very end of the song. It’s an intense and stunning ending to a song so brutal and vicious. The entire album is basically a series of songs trying to top Kerosene Girl, which makes for an entertaining and richly satisfying album.
The album can get so intense, at times, that it can become almost a tire to listen to. Doomed Moon, a great track, can lean in a bit too much on a repetitive riff that keeps coming back with dizzying results (which, for all we know, could be the purpose). This hinders the re-playability of the album as a whole, but it never sacrifices the quality of each individual song. However, there are plenty of moments that make the intricate instrumentals pop and create a satisfying album. The low sound of the bass guitar on Gift of Failure has an almost orchestral vibe to it that drives the entire track, creating an epic backdrop for a nice guitar solo from Patterson. This track also allows the primal drumming of Geoff Paton to shine through. There are also some cool blues vibes on Bird Feeder which provide a backdrop for one of Patterson’s zaniest and most off-kilter vocal performances. The transition from this into the more propulsive King Sol is also a nice touch, showing the band’s knack for organizing their albums dynamically (even if those dynamics are solely “pretty loud”, “just loud”, and “this will permanently damage your ears loud”).
The weird disorienting rhythm on the brooding The Last Young Widow also emphasizes an incredible dedication to experimentation in addition to their dedication to noise. The bashing noises that close the song bring the album to an abrupt and noisy close, but it’s one that makes complete sense. Young Widows are a band that bathes in muck and filth, creating a sludgy and abrasive sound that’s just as repelling as it is desirable. It’s best played loudly, and it’s best played to piss off your neighbors.
Summary: Young Widows is a LOUD, abrasive, and filthy Noise Rock album full of Post-Punk and Post-Hardcore influences. The result is a vicious and unrelenting onslaught of noise that will please anyone who likes their rock to sound like a planet exploding.
Choice Cuts: Kerosene Girl, Godman, Cool Night, Bird Feeder
Leftovers: Doomed Moon
A
You can stream Kerosene Girl below. Easy Pain is out now on Temporary Residence.
Vantage Point Music 