I'm new to writing actual reviews of records. Don't get me wrong, I have opinions and I share them openly with everyone, even if they don't want to listen. Until this record, I really couldn't find much out there worth reviewing. The name of the band caught me. The fact that they have a record coming out on Dirtnap Records also caught my eye. Dirtnap doesn't mess around. The lineage of this band isn't anything to dismiss either. Kitten Forever, Baby Guts, and Condominium. Damn!
Feral Coast opens with "The Houseplant". A straight forward bass line with female vocals. After a couple of bars it breaks into a loud and fast punk rager reminiscent of some of the best throwback Riot Grrrl songs ever written. It has the kind of vibe that will get you kicking holes in your walls. From there the album goes into a rickety roller coaster nearly falling off the tracks at moments but then correcting itself. I love Laura Larsen's vocals on here and Danielle Cusack is the perfect hype person to Laura. They perfectly channels that early riot grrrl brattiness and rage while being able to sing the catchiest melodies. This reminds me of the first time I heard Bikini Kill or Bratmobile. Scrunchies hail from Minneapolis and it shows. Only a midwest city can properly create this kind of feeling properly. My favorite song on here has to be "New What". The bass and drums float along in a chill grove with subtle guitar chimes over it before exploding into a chorus of "da da dada da da da dada". Trust me, you gotta hear it. I love when a vocalist can make a series of nonsense and create a perfect sing-a-long chorus. It shows real innovation.
This record is raw. Like, raw in the most real way. It sounds like a well produced basement tape, and that's what punk should sound like in my humble opinion. Perfect in its' imperfections. Cusack and Castore round out the band are one of the more exceptional rhythm sections out there. They are locked in and playing off of each other with the loud/soft dynamics. Check out the work on "Absolute Maximum". Wow!
This album was a wild ride for me. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. That says a lot considering my attention span doesn't really exist anymore. If you're into early 90's Riot Grrrl bands, you're going to love this. As soon as I finish this review, I'm ordering this on vinyl. I think it's one of those records that is going to stand the test of time. I give it a solid and enthusiastic 8/10
