Once or twice a year, I have the pleasure of stumbling across an unexpected gem of a record that comes from so far out in left field that I'm both amazed and gracious for the opportunity to listen. This year's candidate for that title is Molsook Records' Food, a trio with one hell of a hard-to-Google name, members strewn across the United States, and an apparent knack for being incapable of consistently playing shows. But despite these obstacles, Food managed to figure out how to write a handful of stellar down-tuned sludge rock tunes, and in my book, that's the only thing that matters.
The three-piece falls into a musical vein similar to that of Harkonen and Raise the Red Lantern, as they rip through five tracks of grimy, feedback-laden rock. Individual songs clock in at an average of eight minutes a piece, but rarely do these guys ease off of a driving tempo, punishing the listener not with painful sluggishness, but with relentless waves of bottom-heavy riffing. The opening track, "The Captain," is a perfect example, as it builds from a slower, sludgy opening before double-timing the riff and launching into frantic period of pummeling drums and coarse yells. The rest of the record is chock-full of many more neck-breaking riffs and periods of gritty bliss, but it's the closer, "Oxbow," that seals the deal. The intro's pounding drums, churning bass, and walls of feedback do such a fantastic job of building momentum that when the track's main riff and later, the vocal line of "Summer hits like a goddamn shiner," drop, it's impossible to resist the feeling of fist-pumping ecstasy.
There's still a little room for improvement, as a few of the longer tracks could definitely benefit from another degree of musical inspiration, whether that be a few lead guitar lines or more frequent vocal parts. But there's also a lot to be said for the simplicity of three dudes pumping out some remarkably heavy tracks for the sole reason of worshipping the glory of the riff. It isn't technically impressive. It isn't polished. And it sure as hell won't be finding its way onto the iPods of too many 16 years olds any time soon. But somewhere out there, there's a moldy, beer-soaked basement show where this type of music reigns supreme. And that feeling of pure, unadulterated release is exactly what Food captures on this record, properly embodying the allure of underground heavy music.
Bottom Line: No one is going to argue that this record is a little rough around the edges. But for those listeners that love maximum distortion, heaping helpings of rumbling low end, and destructively powerful drumming, Food delivers. I don't know a lot about this band's past, and I certainly can't vouch for their future, but the fact remains that this record is a great find and proof that the DIY world of heavy music is still alive and well. |
