True 90s by Creative Writing
"I mentioned this one a little while back, but it’s time for a deeper exploration of the debut from MA/VT alt ‘ indie explorers Creative Writing. The band lays things bare with the title, True 90s, and the cassette serves as a nod to the decade with a bit of a hangover from the late 80s college contingent holding on as well, swerving through SST, Homestead, and Matador catalogs like a shopping list. Filling its ranks from some favorite Northeast corners, with members of Luxor Rentals, Jeanines, Estrogen Highs, Huevos II, and Sore Eros on board, the band extends the ethos of quite a few of their past outings, feeling like particular kindred spirits to the Huevos crew. Like that band’s oft-overlooked EP, the release licks at jangles more than the seething grunge of the era. The band brings an affinity for Pavement on the title track, balancing the band’s slight country swagger from the Wowee Zowee days, a feeling that surfaces more than a few times on the tape.
The band’s not settling into one place, though, and they bring a little amp fry on “Kill Yr TV” and a shredded post-punk tension to “Karl Marx At The Gig,” the latter of which sounds like an Embarrassment outtake that might have found its way into the bonus bins or been peeled off for b-sides. As they slip into the second side the band flips the dial through YLT and Meat Puppets territory as well. There’s an unmistakable aura of reverence for the past without repeating it wholesale. Just a bit of an itch in the background that gives the songs a feeling of familiarity. It’s an excellent opener from the band and a name I hope sticks around for a bit."
-- Raven Sings The Blues
"The Massachusetts/Vermont based band Creative Writing, recently released their debut cassette "True 90s" and yes, it does show an affinity for the slack pop of that decade. They cite Zowee Wowee as an influence - I would go even further to say that album closer "Kills All My Fun" (a David Kilgour cover from his first album) sounds like Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain era Pavement.
The pedigree of this band is solid. Members played in bands like My Teenage Stride, Jeanines, Estrogen Highs, Huevos II, Luxor Rentals, and Sore Eros."
-- bandcampsnoop
Tracklist
| 1. | Rattle (For June) | 3:41 |
| 2. | Kill Yr TV | 2:50 |
| 3. | True 90s | 3:01 |
| 4. | Karl Marx At The Gig | 2:47 |
| 5. | Noise Connect | 3:43 |
| 6. | Grounded | 2:59 |
| 7. | Kills All My Fun | 2:49 |
Credits
Patrick Battleship (guitar, bass, drums)
Jeffrey Morkeski (guitar, bass)
Wes Nelson (guitar, bass)
Jedediah Smith (drums, bass, percussion)
with
Andy Goulet (pedal steel on True 90s)
