Saturday, July 3, 2010

Captured Tracks (2008)





What to say? Probably the most beautiful label I own of a band that has excelled at some very good and at times prickly design work. Teenage Panzerkorps (or Der TPK) have released a smattering of 7"s and LPs. All worth having. After a truly hardcore infused full-length on Siltbreeze they took a turn onto post-punk lane, with lo-fi production, moist reverb and warm echo to spare. Wouldn't have been out of character in early 80s London (or Australia really). A sound I can live in. On top of all that, Bunker Wolf's vocals are nearly legible while sturdy and declarative; a sprechstimme to make Mark E. Smith grouse.

Maybe I should mention it is hard to know what to do with the entire package. The name, the band member names (Bunker Wolf, Edmund Xavier, Boy True, Catholic Pat), the album names (Harmful Emotions, Games For Slaves), song titles ("Arc De Triomphe," "Knut Hamsun," etc.), some of the art uses a decidedly German eagle... certainly looking to push a button, or keep themselves marginalized. A place for discomfort. I don't know, but when the reverb wraps me I'm at home.

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