I
was in a total slump looking for a new punk record when Noise Pollution sent me
Julie of the Wolves debut album “Create/Destroy.” Practically a Louisville
super-group, the four-piece consists of bassist Salena Filichia, drummer Becca Lindsay,
and the seamless guitar/vocal duo Stephanie Gary and Carrie Neumayer,
representing between the four of them: Madame
Machine, The Frequent Sea, Second Story Man, Venus Trap, Minnow, and The Red
Nails. Before playing the album, I was already familiar with Carrie’s guitar
playing in Second Story Man, but this record shows another side of her that I
didn’t know existed.
When the album opens into its title
track with a smooth guitar riff reminiscent of the strokes on “Is This It,”
only to be abandoned for a heavily emphasized punk beat with bar chords. The
group demonstrates their command of dynamics as the opening riff is
re-introduced just before the song’s climax to chant “Art destroys apathy.”
“Sum of Your Parts,” is a heavily bass driven song complimented by
almost doo-wop guitar riffs that would easily fit in the soundtrack of one of
Vincent Price’s movies from the 80’s. Selina Filichia’s basswork is strong on
the whole album, but it really stands out on this track, where it saunters back
and forth from a subtle shred during the verses to a menacing foreground during
the bridge. I can only speculate what kind of bass she’s actually using on the
recording, but the one in the “Create/Destroy” video (below) has three sets of
double-coil lipstick tube pickups, which is impressive in and of itself.
The climax of the album is “The Things They Say.” During the
chorus Stephanie and Carrie create a sonic wall that I’m pretty sure is eighty
feet tall and completely impenetrable. The last two songs “Youth Wish” and “S.Y.L.M.F.”
achieve an almost surf-punk style calling out the hangers-on and the
dishonest. The opposition and aggression on the whole album are so personal and
blatant that it seems possible for it all to be directed at one person. If so,
I feel bad for that person.
Create/Destroy was produced by Julie of the Wolves and Trip
Barriger and is available on November 1st through Noise Pollution.
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| out 10/12/13 is Straight A's Humility The Hard Way with cover art by Carrie Neumayer and Andrew Paden |
