Lifeguard — Crowd Can Talk/Dressed in Trenches (Matador)
Dressed in Trenches by Lifeguard
Lifeguard, from Chicago, makes a blistering post-hardcore racket, channeling chaotic, noisy energy into rigorously disciplined forms. This extremely young trio—guitarist Kai Slater, bassist Asher Case and drummer Isaac Lowenstein were all in high school when they started playing together—have a firm grip on rock history, bringing the irregular architectures of Fugazi, the unruly blare of Unwound and the blinding guitar skree of pre-Daydream Sonic Youth together in an arresting way.
Lifeguard records quickly and frequently, laying down singles and EPs typically in a day or so. For a band birthed during the pandemic, it was the only way to keep track of how their sound was evolving. They made a full-length cassette, Dive, in 2020, then three EPs in 2020 and 2021. This recording, their first on Matador, combines their most recent EP, Crowd Can Talk, with the five news songs from Dressed in Trenches. Though the songs span a bit less than a year, you can hear these artists in the process of figuring out their sound.
The (slightly) older material favors the noisier elements of their art, the screech of guitar feedback, the decaying buzz of bass pushed into the red, the thwack, thwack, thwack of unadorned drums, the clangor of two boys shouting cryptic phrases at each other. Yet there’s a form to these onslaughts, an undeniable sense to the way they’re put together. “I Know I Know” is violent but tinged with aching tenderness. “Fifty Seven” chops up phrases into oddly shaped, math-y portions, yet slips some poetry into the way Slater’s voice intersects with bristling aggression. To me, “Typecast,” sounds the most like Fugazi, exploding in off-kilter, unexpected bursts of drum and guitar; the two bands have a fierce complexity in common.
The new songs tilt more anthemic, albeit in a minimalist way. “17-18 Lovesong” runs itself continually into a wall of noise, guitars pulling up as they crash into cement. Its chant of alphabet letters (“C-N-S-A”) has a desolate dystopian vibe, but the instruments rain bright, nearly giddy fire around them. You may have heard that Asher Case’s dad is Brian Case from FACS, and in this one, you can definitely hear the family resemblance. “Tell Me When” pumps up the density of Lifeguard’s sonics, drums rumbling in continuous panic, guitar tones prisming in rainbow arcs of distorted sound, the bass nodding underneath, satisfied with what has been done. Here’s where you can hear the clearest echoes of Sonic Youth, though, Lifeguard has its own intensity and timbre.
This is an impressive statement from a band that’s still forming itself. Its sound is distinctive and compelling, but still audibly shifting as they go. It’s hard to imagine where they might end up ten or even five years out, but my guess is it’ll be someplace cool and very different from where they are now.
Jennifer Kelly
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Pallette nr 2 + your favorite childhood cartoon character!
thank you alex! i finally got the motivation to go back and finish this one up!
I'm cheating a little bit because I was fully in high school when this came out, but none of my other ideas were sparking joy so I went with it. Carmen Sandiego from the 2019 netflix reboot :) The palette ended up working great for her!
I really liked the show, my brother and I watched it together and we enjoyed how complex the story was (even though it was still going for the educational geography angle). And the style it's animated in was really pretty! I love the stylized way they always animate her coat blowing in the wind.
(prompt from this color palette challenge)
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Fall Outfit set
The outfit is suitable for everyday, formal, or party occasions. It can also be mixed and matched with other pieces to create new looks. This outfit will give to your female sims a sophisticated and fashionable appearance. 🌃🎉💄
Items in the set:
Trench-Coat with Bodysuit
Criss Cross Asymmetrical Mini Skirt
Notes:
New meshes
All Lods
Custom thumbnail
HQ Compatible
Base game compatible
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❤️ With love ❤️I hope you like it! ❤️
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