album #24

damaged (black flag)

This is a pretty cool record, but it went through kindof boring stretches. Most of the middle blends together in a generically aggressive, punk way. There are a few greats that stitch the whole thing together: "Rise Above" is a fantastic opener- I love the raspy tingle of the drum, the low, buzzing guitar, fighting its way down and across the song, the attitude in the lyrics, the shouted background vocals, the whole thing. "Six Pack"- love the lowness to it all, the steady, forceful, ominous start, the throbbing bass, the low drums, and the sudden strike of guitar.

This music makes me think of being a freshman in high school, making friends with Dave and Eddie, the smell of cold and cigarettes, riding in the back of a van in Austin. "TV Party" is pretty catchy, the catch and call lyrics, the melodic rhythm. I thought the references were interesting, for coming from such a specific frame of time. Dallas, the Jeffersons. Also there's a point in the record where Henry says, "What do they know about partying? Or anything else?"- a phrase, and spoken in a cadence, that never fails to remind me of Michaelangelo. Anyway, then most of the album after that point gets boring, until "Life of Pain"- the stomping, wounded sneer of the guitar in that track makes for a phenomenal, gruesome hook. And the closer, "Damaged 1," makes for a searing conclusion- melodic and cacophonous, a light of shrill, synthetic guitar noise piercing through an ugly dark clutter of drums and vocals.