Bass Drum of Death
GB City
Oxford, MS
“It’s not just a clever name”
GB City is a blend of lo-fi underground garage rock ’50s pop and ’70s punk. Make no mistake, the percussion is indeed a formidable foe, but it’s the pairing of the deadly drum with the grungy guitar that makes every cut a bowel-bouncer.
Openers “Nerve Jamming” and the title track are fun, but the abnormally kick-heavy production is a bit jarring at first. Track three, “Get Found,” is a test of endurance with the ludicrously loud lo-toms beating the listener into submission. Like repeatedly smashing your head against the wall, it stops hurting after a while.
The band returns to their poppy Ramones style on “High School Roaches,” slows things down to a wallflower waltz with “Spare Room” and a flexes their Buddy Holly influence on “Young Pros.” Every track has it’s own catchy character coupled with a pure punk ethos, which flips the finger at the conventional standards of rock ‘n’ roll. And really, what’s more rock ‘n’ roll than that?
The main issue with GB City is that $10 Skullcandy ear buds don’t do justice to the booming bass drum. Sit in the backseat of a hatchback with a decent subwoofer and you’ll probably puke in your lap. (Fat Possum Records)
Recorded and mixed by John Barrett // Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering