Description
Crawling out of the deep, dark hole they dug for themselves on Bottom Feeder (2011) and Sweaty Hands (2012), New York City?s premier psychedelic swamp rock unit DeGreaser are set to take an unsuspecting and tepid rock scene by storm. Courtesy of NYC?s Ever/Never Records, Rougher Squalor is DeGreaser 2.0. The band has evolved from their previous caveman dirges into a true power trio, heavy on the muscle and out for blood.
Drawing inspiration from classic bands like Blue Cheer, The Groundhogs and Coloured Balls, to outer-limits rock deconstruction reminiscent of the finest Japanese ensembles such as Mainliner and High Rise, DeGreaser are able to satisfy the need to bang your head, and also the desire to immerse said head in glorious waves of wah-wah pedal abuse. The ?squalor? part of the title is no joke, as main ?Greaser Tim Evans ? formerly of noted Aussie band Bird Blobs ? drenches the proceedings in a sheen of speaker-shredding noise that would make the likes of James Williamson sit up and take notice. Anchored by the granite-solid rhythm section of drummer John Coates and bassist Kristian Brenchley (Woman/Ballroom), Evans is free to blast his surroundings with all manner of ear-piercing and ?tickling tones.
But let?s not make the mistake of filing Rougher Squalor under the section labeled ?Headcleaners.? There are great songs waiting here for you. Opener ?Words in Your Mouth? establishes the band?s ability to harness melody and write memorable tunes. Straightforward rocker ?Follow Me Down? is a hook-y request to join Evans in the downtown shadows. Tracks like ?Got No Need? and ?Do Me In? come off like Screaming Trees after an acid bath, while fleet-footed rockers like ?You Said? and ?Doorway? get in n? out before you know what hit you. With Rougher Squalor, DeGreaser has staked out their territory and are defending it with the considerable rock power that they can muster.
