Vancouver's
Shearing Pinx have left a trail of releases behind them since
their inception in 2005; if we go by Wikipedia, there are over fifty
tapes, CDRs, and records to their name. The majority of these have
been issued through singer/guitarist Nic Hughes' intensely
prolific Isolated Now Waves imprint, although several other usual
suspects also turn up upon a run-through of the band's discography -
DNT, Not Not Fun, Arbor CDR, Turgid Animal, and so forth. I suppose
what I'm driving at is that Shearing Pinx are one of the more
established no-wave/noise-rock bands out there, and I am more than a
little embarrassed to report that Offing Futures is the first release of
theirs that I've listened to.
This CDR is divided
into two tracks. The first is a twenty minute improv epic called
"Undo My Type," which reveals the band's more experimental and
abstract side. Following a bit of foreplay, the track jumps right
into a dense wall of feedback noise, mechanical gurgling, and eerie,
echoed moaning. The more you listen to it, the more you notice
things deep in the mix; indeed, although the overwhelming impression
is one of noise and chaos, there is a remarkable variety of things
going on in this track, lending it an unpredictable and constantly
metamorphosing sound. Later in the track, the sound becomes
increasingly less noisy, eventually concluding on a delicate and
natural note.
Track two is a
recording of the band's live show for Smilin' Jay's Happy Hour, a
radio program on Alberta's CJSR. This is more conventional
noise-rock - you know, actual songs, with somewhat intelligible
vocals, drum rhythms, and even what might be referred to as melodies. The sound is an interesting mish-mash of the noisier
aspects of Sebadoh and Archers of
Loaf crossed with punk-rock attitude and scrappiness. It's still
far from a Tommy Roe single in terms of accessibility, but
tracks like desperate "Knifefall" and the dissonantly
intense "Dry Bones"/"United Queendom" tandem are seriously solid bursts of weird
rock energy. Taken together, both of Offing Futures' tracks
are uniquely perfect for long walks through industrial junkyards.
[Comes in a neat
cardboard sleeve with a glued-on print, and includes a typewritten
track listing insert. Limited to 99 copies.]