Feral Children – “Reverb” b/w “Ancient Videotape” 7” (Leaning Trees)
A coin toss decided one of two ways to handle this 7” … to process it as an earnest endeavor. Honestly, neither of the two music fans who live under this roof could get away from the possibility that this is a prank; created to bait reviewers like myself while deftly commenting on its scene of origin. If this is a serious creative statement, I strongly suggest all readers block out a few days in the immediate future and dig a bunker in the backyard. The ooga-booga of 2012 is nothing short of an eventual reality when a bands/artist puts a song called “Reverb” on a debut 7” and it doesn’t appear to be a critical or humorous sentiment. I would’ve used the phrase “writes a song” if Feral Children had actually written “Reverb” instead of singing over pitch-shifted music that someone else made (one music fan in the house convinced the other that it might very well be a slowed-down Fall song providing the bed and backing music). The end result, quite predictably, sounds like a rougher Panda Bear and the B-side is a dead-ringer for Atlas Sound. Here’s the kicker: The “insert” was a note handwritten on the back of a HoZaC catalog…repurposed from its life inside a record released on the label this outfit pines to be on. So what is more loathsome? Introducing yourself to the world behind a tribute to the one most commonly used tool when a band has to cover up a complete lack of songwriting skills? Or aspiring to be on HoZaC, which the moniker also supports (forgettable reverb-abusers with names that could belong to a noisenik, noise-rock or deregulated metal band)? We can always look at it this way: If the latter transpires, at least Feral Children will vanish within a confusing, impossible-to-navigate label discography. Dismal stuff. 300 pressed on black vinyl. (http://leaningtreesrecords.tumblr.com)
(Andrew Earles)
