VINYL OF THE MONTH: Eureka California – “Crunch”

“Frenetic blast of  fuzzy ’80s college rock with bombastic melodies”

Athens’ HHBTM Records has been knocking it out of the park lately. Like labelmates Muuy Biien, Eureka California is loud, buzzy, kinda punky and a little beyond definition. Like their (probable) ’80s garage/college rock idols, EC blends jangly, fuzzed-out guitars with bombastic melodies and a touch of humor. A frenetic energy that causes tracks to spit forth every two minutes with a kinetic palpability keeps both A and B-sides moving at a whiplash pace.

Standouts include the über-catchy “There’s No Looking Back” and “Twin Cities,” which makes sense seeing as how fans of Twin Cities staples like The Replacements, Soul Asylum and Hüsker Dü will likely fall in love with this record upon first listen.

Crunch is a badass record for badass people from a badass label with badass taste in music. Thumbs up.

Eureka California
Crunch
Athens, GA
(HHBTM Records)

Recorded by Jake Ward in the Oglethorpe Caverns
Artwork by KT Austin, Stacey Piotrowski, Andy Hart & Mike Turner
Size: 12-inch
Speed: 33 1/3 rpm
Color: Black Vinyl
Follow on Twitter @eurekacalifone

photo by Stacey Marie Piotrowski