Sick Sick Birds
Chemical Trains EP
Hailing from Baltimore, MD and featuring former members of plenty of local-legend status bands (Thumbs, Pee Tanks, Gamms Rays), the Sick Sick Birds can find no way to avoid the label of punk rock. The first 30 seconds of their latest ep confirms that tag, and phrases like “angular post-punk” and Dischordcore begin to escape the lips of quick judgers and pigeonholers. However, just when the cookie cutter is about to clamp down on the band, the jarring beat of “(Revolt With) Perfect Spelling” turns into a straightforward riff, and the riff turns into a shout-along anthem – luring in basement punks, Pixies fans, and anyone else who likes their punk to have pop and that pop to have teeth.
“Bullet Goes A Mile” doesn’t mix the styles proper like the previous track, but it does eschew the traditional verse-chorus-verse structure to tell the story of friends, foes, and a vague declaration of love going wrong. Each step along the way is an aural thrill, with vocals pouncing in and out, and the rhythm section rattling around each corner like a frenzied trip around the block. Not until the end does the song regroup for a repeated stanza. It was quickly forgotten when sharp new lyrics intervened, but the second time around the hooks dig in deeper.
“The Connects” brings the energy down a notch but the emotional charge is still intact. Rather than go with a quiet/loud dynamic (which is hardly dynamic these days), the band just plays calmly, and releases tension in minimal amounts to greater effect.
“Gag Order” is another mid-tempo rocker, creating a song fort built on a strong melody and earnest vocals rather than speed. Also, the riff at the very beginning reminds me of “Your Bed” by the band cub, which is an odd comparison indeed, but a fairly accurate note in reminding the listener that these sick birds can still hum a sweet tune.
linkage: http://www.myspace.com/sicksickbirds
Hip Displeasure 
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