For those who think punk is dead, dying, or just derivative, please consider bands like Refused, Blood Brothers, and--wading into the mix--Die! Die! Die! While Swedish rockers Refused attempted the equivalent of punk reform with their 1998 swan song The Shape of Punk to Come (which unfortunately alienated more fans than it attracted new ones), Blood Brothers, who serenade you one moment and scream in your ear the next--in a good way--were some of the freshest I'd heard in a long time. And finally, there is Die! Die! Die!; specifically their latest release, Promises, Promises. Not groundbreaking, but far from derivative, Promises is a solid, well-produced album that sacrifices none of punk's inherent rottenness.
Die! Die! Die! pounded into the New Zealand punk scene (which is also the alt/hardcore scene, which is also the indie scene, which is also the prog scene, which pairs occasionally with the dub/reggae scene--hey, it's a small country) in 2003, released their first album in 2005, and have steadily gained attention thereafter. They finished a tour of the States early this month, returning home just in time to release Promises, Promises, which they recorded in New York. And I am happy to say that this is one release that New Zealand will get before America. Not that many Americans will care, though. DDD will barely be a blip on the music radar over there. But down under, we like 'em. And Promises is well-deserving of local, if not international attention.
On some songs, Die! Die! Die! sound a little like Slint meets Les Savy Fav. On others they create an atmosphere that reminds me a bit of Kiwi old boys The Clean and The Verlaines--that echo-laden sparseness that brought the term "Dunedin sound" to life in the mid to late 80s (and fitting, considering Dunedin is where DDD call home). However as a whole, they're making good, solid post-millennial punk. I tested Promises to see if it stood up to rigorous experimentation.
First, I created the control group: I popped the earbuds in, sat down at my desk at work, and hit play. I was able to write, code, and stare out the window without hitting pause. Conclusion: DDD are good background music.
Second, I went for a walk. As it is Spring here, and the weather gets a bit aggro in Wellington, I had to stay sheltered as I scooted through town. The regular lunchtime crowd was heavier than usual because we all had to hug the shop-front side of the footpath to avoid getting soaked. Andrew Wilson's voice was screaming confidently, "I saw you, and then I followed you," as I darted my way past the bodies--I even did a spin. Verdict: DDD are good to move around to.
Finally, I put it on at home and turned up the volume (I'm lucky that we live on a corner, and that our only neighbours are hard of hearing). What surprised me about this part of the experiment was how easy it was to dance to (most of) the songs. Granted, "dancing" for me consists primarily of offbeat gyrations and the odd leap into the air. Oh, and I pump my fist and shout the lyrics I know. Verdict: DDD are good to sing along to.
I've provided a little tune for you to do you own experiments.
Comments