Jeff's SSR Pick: August 25, 2022

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Slowly but surely, I’m starting to adjust back to my normal routine. While Scarecrow was on tour, it was kinda like I was living in a vacuum. I’m really enjoying being back in the store and just being bombarded on a day-to-day basis by new records to check out and digest. Also, seeing friends pop into the shop and chit-chatting has been cool. I missed everybody.

While I’m sure Daniel will bring some attention to it, this week I really wanna talk about this new tape by Shaved Ape. This moniker is the name for a one-man hardcore project. Before Daniel even had sorted out that we were going to release the tape on Sorry State, the first time I heard the tracks on this cassette, my jaw dropped full-force down to the floor. I loved it immediately. Earlier, I just talked about digesting new music—Shaved Ape plays the kind of hardcore that is undigestible and impossible to swallow; it’s more like experiencing blunt-force trauma. Dead silence, and then those quick sticks count off the first song and you know you’re in for a bludgeoning. Ape being in the name of the band feels appropriate. Super raw, uncivilized, primitive… But underneath that gruff, knuckle-dragging demeanor, you can tell this dude knows how to write a damn good hardcore song. Also, he’s just playing his ass off. While unhinged, the playing is so tight and ripping. In some ways, Shaved Ape reminds of the Deaf Mutations 7” from a few years back. Maybe that’s partially due to it being a raw, catchy hardcore solo project, but something about the spirit seems similar. But man, once you open the j-card and read lyrics… Woooooo dawgy this is savage. I don’t think I’ve read lyrics that feel this genuinely fed up and pissed in a long time. “Punchable faces surrounding me… Primate brain tells me to kill. A few more years and I think I will.” The rage is real.

Anyway, I feel like I can only be so eloquent when describing this ripper. Can’t recommend it enough. FFO… uh, good hardcore? Nuff said.

That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff


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