The growing trend bringing back music on vinyl is great news for everyone. Unfortunately, there are many hangers-on just jumping on the bandwagon using it as another income stream instead of using the medium as intended. There is a certain way to record and plan an album for vinyl that is getting lost by the masses. Our recent discovery Stereo Creeps has been breaking free of the masses and is here with an album to prove the vinyl record is back for a reason. And their full-length LP Suck was released yesterday April 12th to show just that.
The Seattle, Washington based band holds down the ethos of the original Northwest scene. They are the antithesis of all the hipsters moving in and taking over Portland and spreading like a disease. Stereo Creeps create a big, loud, and somewhat aggressive sound that is somehow extremely catchy. To try and pin down a genre would be tough but you can hear pieces of early art punk, proto-metal, and noisy psyche-rock. Influences range from Black Sabbath and Sex Pistols to The Melvins and Black Flag to Radiohead and Pink Floyd. Stereo Creeps do their own thing without being tied down to any particular genre.
Real Vinyl Is Back
With thier new album Suck, Stereo Creeps crafted a full LP with the vinyl format in mind. It is even broken down into 2 unique sides that tell a story. Side 1 (Pink) is all about the night of “The Party.” Put this side on when friends are over, turn it up and have some fun. Side 2 (Blue) is the next day. “The Hangover” from having a little too good of a time the night before.
From the first electro spooky sounds of opener “Hide & Peek” you get the feeling something is coming to warp your mind in just the right way. The guitar tuning meandering quickly give way to a grimy sound that puts the listener back in the past when breaking up weed on an album cover was the norm. Raw, warm, analog. Mmmmm. This continues with warm pounding drums on “They’re All The Same” and the punk sing-along chorus ‘boys will always be boys’.
“The Knife” lets raw guitars lead the way into a lyric-heavy song that just makes you feel that classic angst that is too rare nowadays. Side 1 closes with the punk call and response power of “Thoughts & Prayers”. After the 2 minute mark, it takes a shift to a more emotional sound bringing in samples and exotic noise to add a full atmosphere to the track as it fades out.
Stereo Creeps Know How To Structure an Album
Side 2 starts with the early underground grunge feel of “Ancient Accents”. Grimy again but in a ‘sit back and relax’ kind of way. Enjoy your high. Stereo Creeps keep that high going with “Not Going Anywhere”. At only 51 seconds, we are kept guessing where we are being led next. “Mel’s Hole” continues the hangover letting us all take a quick break before a power sludge punk verse lets us know that the Stereo Creeps are in total control of our buzz.
Keep churning with “Suckers” and its creepingly catchy bassline. The vocal delivery over the top both gets in our face and comforts us from verse to verse. The closer “Have I Been Erased” manages to have a classic big brit-pop influence meshed into their ‘anything goes’ sound.
Suck is a record meant to be listened to all the way through in this time of singles normally leading the way to nothingness. Please enjoy it on vinyl as well. (I have the limited edition blue vinyl which looks great too). Keep up with the Stereo Creep on FACEBOOK.
