Thursday, December 27, 2012

Coffin Pricks-Group Home Haircut b/w Right Kind of Loot/Cielo Drive; Stationary Heart, 2012


Punk Rock singer Chris Thompson has been rolling aesthetic strikes for two decades now, so, of course Disaster Amnesiac was excited when reading about his most recent (and, sadly, done) band Coffin Pricks. Having listened to their 7", Group Home Haircut, as usual I am stoked about his personal metaphoric lyrics and spoke/sung technique on the mic. As regards the former, Disaster Amnesiac really digs the fact that Thompson seems to paint not from some stock anti-authoritarian Punk template, but more from a personal life perspective. I realize that I may be completely incorrect here, but, if so, still, the non-manifesto point of view never gets tiresome. As for the latter, it's so much more fun to listen to than the high pitched shouting that so many in post-Punk/Metal effect.  I find it very easily to relate to and enjoy his sound when I listen to him. His trademark delivery is fun to listen to.
Disaster Amnesiac always marvels at the ways in which bands led by Thompson can pull of a "stick to basic Punk" approach and never sound like hacks. That is probably not an easy task, and one can rest assured that with Chris at the helm, the band is likely to nail it. Rockin' rhythm section Ryan Weinstein on guitar, Jeff Rice on drums, and bassist Chay Lawrence conjure up a sound that's a mite tighter than Thompson's previous troupe, Red Eyed Legends, in that the hi-hats are more often closed, and the guitar chords muted a bit more. Still, their sound, drawing from Punk Rock from all eras (Stooges, Ramones, Pistols, Flag, D.C.H.C., Chi-tooled) clips along at a hot mid-to-fast pace, framing their singer's charismatic delivery with aplomb. 
Group Home Haircut is a quick, compelling blast of Punk Rock-n-Roll. Will John Herndon's cool skull design on this 7"s cover become standard tattoo flash?

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