Housewolf

Nothing Knew

There is a moment about twenty seconds into “Housewolf”, the first song on Language of Threat by Eula, where music that has been hypnotically chugging along with a repeated steady four notes unexpectedly changes dropping the melody out but intensifying the groove for a few measures before the returns to its previous course as the vocals fill the song with an intense desperation and you know what this EP is going to be.

It’s going to be standard indie girl fronted rock music with punk trappings. Screaming Females without the solos. The Coathangers without the synth. Mika Miko without the sax. Disposable, forgettable and you’ve already moved on in your mind.

Then twenty seconds later something happens. The music slows to introspective molasses and Alyse sings “You know how it all goes.” The rhythm section continues along this mired vein while the hypnotic guitar comes back in for a measure and then everything returns to the intro’s elements. Now there’s intensity as the song strives for climax yet never sustaining one phrase enough for a release as Eula teases you from rapid to half speeds and then the song shocks again. Out of one of the slow moments, it’s groove as propulsion that breaks free; funk in structure but not in genre. Then final minute removes vocals and gradually works its way back to the hypnotic elements that introduced the song to you and then, the initial prejudice is gone.

Like all music, Eula is not for everyone, but if it is for you, by the end of this song you’re already in their hands and the remaining songs hook you further into this structurally unique band’s surreal grasp.

I don’t know a thing about Eula. Having never heard of them before Monday I was intrigued when singer / guitarist Alyse sent me a fairly standard promotional email and a link to a two-minute song “Fight Riff” asking me to give a listen. Additional hunting for details was seemingly tough as there are a handful of blogs and print all seemingly focusing on energy and reading someone trying to describe the music is as a hapless feat without trying to devolve into trying to find points of reference for the audience.

I liked what I heard in “Fight Riff”; distorted desperate vocals matching distorted desperate guitar in a song about breaking up. “Is this just another accident / are you just another accident” before the melody reminiscent of a sped up carousel at the Carnival of Souls gives way to a four note descent as confused and impenetrable as Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase before the song reverses and now you ascend and clapping replaces the rhythm as the whole song breaks down ending on sustained distortion.

I was immediately beholden to them they happily provided the rest of the 7 song EP for my on the promise that I’d review Language of Threat.

All of the songs are like these two while they are also not like this at all. They’re all equally soundtracks to nightmares and soundtracks to dance parties. Each song has a strong emphasis on “groove” and structure rather than on the “above the line” elements like melody and lyrics that make up the focal point of most rock of this sort. Jeffery Maleri’s bass is perfect in every nearly song, acting as either a clean counterpart to Alyse’s distorted lyrics and guitar or providing a strong punch in tandem with Nathan Roses’ drums, but never content to play four notes for two minutes. Nathan’s Drums compliment each element as well able to keep time and our interest regardless of the speed of the song.

Yet not every song on this EP is a fast-forward slam-dancing song, as “Even At It’s Worst” which recalls both Belly and Nirvana as soft vocals start with a vocal control over the song until the emotions under the veneer of social normalcy stretch and break as lyrics “A fool you’ll be and a fool you’ll stay” gives into the primal distaste which was hidden by the softness of the lyrics “At it’s worst I’m at my best” which is also the final words heard before the song breaks down and becomes just a seething torrent of frustration and dismay.

In the seven songs of Language of Threat Eula careens wildly and capably through many different genres touching only on the barest structures to call forth those genres rather than shamelessly wallowing in them. Each song contains structurally unique elements and is played capably by each member of the band. No single element is at the forefront and each compliments the other even as the contrasts threaten to rip the songs to shreds.

Eula is playing Maxwells on the 14th and will be at Shea Stadium on the 24th. I’ll definitely be there on the 24th and I would suggest that you try to be there as well.

Language of Threat is available through Itunes and Amazon or a physical copy through Independisc.

Category : album Review