Can you handle garage rock? No, not the major-label FM-friendly version of basement blitzkrieg bops like the Strokes and the White Stripes. But the real toxic stuff, the kind of distortion-ridden and savage amp rage that Sub Pop began unleashing to the public in the late '80s. The duo 2ND (http://2ndtheband.com) similarly arrive with the fangs and claws bared. This is unpolished, brutally pounding hard rock, free from the glossy compromises that you see on MTV.
Featuring vocalist/guitarist Jason Morse and drummer Dave Foreman, 2ND is lean and mean, exhibiting much more power than their two-man line-up suggests. On the cleverly titled "Directly in the Path of Organized Ignorance," 2ND leap from the grunge flashback of "Heavy Heavy Metal" to the blistering garage rock of "Symptoms" without any acoustic ballads to soften the blow. Yes, these guys are merciless.
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The snotty "Got a Girl" is reminiscent of the proto-punk days of the late '60s with Iggy & the Stooges while "Cheap Perfume" climaxes with the frenzied pace of Suicidal Tendencies in their skate-metal prime. Morse recalls Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins in places but more gravelly and pissed off, especially on "Wasted," where he sounds really nasty.
2ND is not for poseurs. If you're into authentic garage rock, this is it. It's loud, energetic, and ferocious. It will bite you.
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