FML, MRL has done it again.
Jersey gets a bad rep. The small Old Bridge based label Music Ruins Lives (MRL) has been doing their part to ale that since 2010. They’ve hit the nail on the head several times already. Vit, Lonesummer, Bad Braids and Greys have all left relatively decent sized splashes in their wakes. BAD LIFE (always in all caps) is no exception to this. With the release of THE DAY YOU DIE album late last year this band broke the mold for what people have come to expect from alternative/goth/avant garde/ambient/post punk/deathrock/dream pop or simply, gloomwave. The album kicks right off with some great garage sounds, real crunchy and biting but not too heavy, actually quite light and soaring like some kind of Hall Of The Mountain Grill / Bee Thousand mashup. Somewhere in the mix the album takes a nosedive into a dreamscape of electronic programing and dialog samples that I was unfortunately unable to place but sound like they were lifted from 90’s independent films. Very reminiscent of the New York scene of the late 70’s. My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts is undoubtably on heavy rotation where ever these guys practice at and that’s enough reason for me to get behind this band. Imagine if Danger Mouse had produced for Warsaw or Television and you’ll get a good idea of where these guys are coming from and where they’re headed to. THE DAY YOU DIE is an incredibly intriguing musical portrait from a band that shows a lot of potential. This album is hauntingly eerie, quite dreamlike and somewhat difficult to describe so stop reading, just listen. If you like what you hear, support physical formats and purchase a CD.
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