KNEE CHIN offer us some odd and off-kilter garage pop from down under in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It’s their first release on the Bedroom Suck label which is also based in Queensland, giving Brisbane’s hometown heros their first 7″.
This single randomly showed up on my radar and I’m glad it did. The material might come off a bit sloppy at first, but that’s the whole idea they’re working toward here, which means right away this stuff could be hit or miss. The A-side “Melting Upwards” quickly brought a geographically-similar band like Kitchen’s Floor to mind with it’s gritty jangle, except overall this sound is much cleaner. It’s off-centered still to say the least, offering a perpetual wobble with wailing vocals and springy guitars leading the way. B-side “Branded by Satan” shows off their jangly sound again, filled out with strung-out guitars and spastic drumming, making for a nervous and unsettling vibe. This all helps suggest a poppy sound with some darker post-punk/noise rock leanings, but neither sound is particularly overwhelming. This makes for a nice balance between influences, but the pop always manages to overshadow the rest.
Needless to say, Knee Chin didn’t necessarily make this stuff easy to swallow, but that’s all part of the plan. If you’re on board, go ahead and grab a 7″ from Bedroom Suck Records!
Genre/ Tags: Pop, Noise Rock, Post-Punk
Melting Upwards 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Melting Upwards
2.) Branded by Satan
BUY the 7″ directly from Bedroom Suck Records
Knee Chin on Myspace
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