The deceptive opening guitar chord of Imps of Perversion hints at another surf album, with its thin echo lingering as a tribal beat backs the chord’s decay. The crunchy bass, synchronized with simple double-time picking on the guitar, cuts in and knocks the surf sound off its board within seconds.
Review: Pop. 1280 – Imps of Perversion
National Music Reviews
Pop. 1280
Imps of Perversion
Sacred Bones
Street: 08.06
Pop. 1280 = Mayyors + Ex Models + Mission of Burma
The deceptive opening guitar chord of Imps of Perversion hints at another surf album, with its thin echo lingering as a tribal beat backs the chord’s decay. The crunchy bass, synchronized with simple double-time picking on the guitar, cuts in and knocks the surf sound off its board within seconds. The drums hang around the bonfire drumcircle throughout the album, while playing staggered beats like a 45 of The Locust played at 33 rpm. Without much change in rhythm, the use of robotic vocal effects and backing power-drill sounds distinguish “Population Control” from any other track. The vocals come half-spoken like Jello Biafra for the entirety of Imps of Perversion, but really emerge in the verses of “Nailhouse” through lines like, “They blow ‘em up with land mines.” It’s refreshing to avoid the flesh-searing positivity of the beach sun, even with the landmines. –Steve Richardson
Imps of Perversion
Sacred Bones
Street: 08.06
Pop. 1280 = Mayyors + Ex Models + Mission of Burma
The deceptive opening guitar chord of Imps of Perversion hints at another surf album, with its thin echo lingering as a tribal beat backs the chord’s decay. The crunchy bass, synchronized with simple double-time picking on the guitar, cuts in and knocks the surf sound off its board within seconds. The drums hang around the bonfire drumcircle throughout the album, while playing staggered beats like a 45 of The Locust played at 33 rpm. Without much change in rhythm, the use of robotic vocal effects and backing power-drill sounds distinguish “Population Control” from any other track. The vocals come half-spoken like Jello Biafra for the entirety of Imps of Perversion, but really emerge in the verses of “Nailhouse” through lines like, “They blow ‘em up with land mines.” It’s refreshing to avoid the flesh-searing positivity of the beach sun, even with the landmines. –Steve Richardson
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