The Midweekly is our column from Mike Jeffers; lead singer of Chicago punk stalwarts SCRAM, music junkie and all around righteous dude.
Somewhere between the tension of a bow string, and the intoxication of a freshly dipped arrow head you will find War Regards. It’s the newest, and long-awaited LP from The Poison Arrows. This trio from Chicago have been working off and on for over a decade, with long breaks between releases. And since we all have just taken a mandatory break it seems like a great time for TPA to put another out. War Regards is post-punk in sound and attitude. The lo-fi production puts you right there in that alley bar, basement party, jam room, or whatever concrete walled, hardwood floor venue of the scene one might frequent. Bass lines chug along with discordant melodies from the guitar. The beats shift into different gears throughout, depending on which projectile a track is laced with. Could be a heavy, wired bounce from the opening title track, and it’s follow up tune, or could be a slower, trippy shuffle near the end of the record. Each one led by foaming-at-the-mouth yelling, or slurred-speech moans from the vocals. These handful of rock concoctions are boiled down to their purest essence. No matter the poison, be it mood swings, medication, or coffee, this midwest outfit has plenty. And who knows, it may be the antidote in disguise.
Leave a Reply