Review
Wheezing Maniac
Shade Through The Night Door

Puto Jefe (2023) Christopher D

Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door cover artwork
Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door — Puto Jefe, 2023

Breathe In Breathe Out. Wheezing is often heard as a whistling sound primarily while breathing out but can also be heard when taking deep breaths. It is frequently attributed to the small Bronchial Tubes situated deep within the lungs. However, a maniac can often be seen as a derogatory term used in place of a lunatic, mad person, loony, wing nut, psycho, head case or screwball.

In this case, it can be determined that these fine gentlemen most likely have early signs of undiagnosed Asthma coupled with psychiatric issues.
These Wheezing Maniacs were like a meteor glowing in the night sky and burning into the atmosphere. They existed from 1987 to 1989 with a healthy exhausting output of three gigs and a handful of demos.

Wheezing Maniacs don’t wear flowerpots (domes) on their noggin but have that left-of-the-dial pulse much like when long hairs would want to beat the living cream corned shit out of the Punks often starting with “Hey Devo”. Short blasts of Minutemen with the good-humoured ice cream dripping down a loveable chubby brat's meat hooks and coming at ya with it like an Angry Samoan. Grrrrrrr. The Skating community picked up on these short blasts of punk/lo-fi/garage wonderful weirdness and laid down the decks skating around a Butthole like a Surfer but not too heavy on the ring toss.

Wheezing Maniac most likely did not want to be pigeonholed and only the great Kreskin could predict how they would have solidified over the sands of Dali dripping time. Putojefe has saved the day (put on subliminal shoulder-Hip Hip Hooray) and exposed a passage through the thick fog to another world.

Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door cover artwork
Wheezing Maniac – Shade Through The Night Door — Puto Jefe, 2023

Recently-posted album reviews

Overcalc

Fruits of the Decision Tree
Sleeping Giant Glossolalia (2024)

Some instrumental records create atmosphere while others create movement. Fruits of the Decision Tree feels like it creates an entire environment. It’s unstable, mechanical, strangely beautiful, and constantly in motion. The solo project of Nick Skrobisz (Multicult, The Wayward), Overcalc exists somewhere between electronic experimentation, prog-level guitar precision, ambient drift, and full on sci-fi hallucination. Trying to pin it cleanly … Read more

Fangus

Emerald Dream
From The Urn Records (2026)

The needle drops, and there’s no introductory sweaty handshake. Fangus doesn’t care for niceties; they’re ready to get down to brass-knuckle business. With their debut full-length, Emerald Dream, the Montreal quintet has exhumed a sound that feels less like a tribute to the early '70s and more like a master tape found rotting in a damp basement behind a stack … Read more

Drakulas

Midnight City
Dirtnap, Wild Honey Records (2026)

I’m assuming Midnight City is the “fictionalized New York-esque metropolis” where the band/gang members of Drakulas survive(d in the mid to late 70's;). It’s also the third album by this Austin TX based, concept driven supergroup. Not really sure if I’m supposed to out these dudes but their secret identities include members of Riberboat Gamblers, Rise Against, High Tension Wires … Read more