The Lungs of Charleston, South Carolina are emitting the sounds of a modern
day The Jesus and Mary Chain. Whether it be a comparison to The Smashing
Pumpkins, The Strokes or even the dreary electric guitar filled sounds of 1980s
alternative rock, Sonic Youth, The Lungs don't quite fit in, nor should they. They dabble in genres
from post-punk, indie rock and noise rock, not metal as their EP's title may
suggest.
First track "Muriel" sounds like a B-side to Pixies Bossanova,
without all the clear crisp production of course. The drumming in a calm
manner, as a steady guitar riff is backed by a simplistic bass riff, giving off
that 80s alternative rock feel mentioned above. The track quickly escalates
after a short segment of reverberated vocals, slightly too far behind for my
liking, though stark and hidden as intended. The electric guitar then cuts
through the anonymity with force, leading to that noise and direct electric
guitar distortion with feedback that no matter what time of day it is, will be
enjoyed.
Their demo continues in similar fashion with the second track
"Lysol". ‘Noun, a disinfectant consisting of a mixture of cresols and
soft soap’. This EP doesn’t have the track title, EP title or band name to take
it any further than a demo status, but in a world of social media where word of
mouth has become the re-tweet and like, it could work. "Lysol" turns
away from the quiet / loud / quiet style of the opener and makes use of punk
rock, using it to their advantage.
Then third track "Jawbreaker" just
erases everything about them. Entry-level Black Metal goes through the
ages and genres, and none other than post-punk and indie rock are felt with
this track. The guitar sounds fantastic and the vocal is by far the best on the
EP. It's in a certain style that's welcomed, not too sissy, not too loud and
forced with the aggressive distorted chorus. It's very much an Arctic Monkeys
song pre-2009 with an extra guitar for added noise.
Entry-level Black Metal ends with a banger, the Mogwai-esque
"Stem Screen". Purely instrumental, full of heart and character, this
track goes a long way. It shows the three piece pushing to their limits as
individuals and as a collected force. Great sounds are coming out of this
track, much alike the rest of the demo EP in fact. The Lungs have all bases
covered, they're swinging and they’re not missing. Check it out, download it
and listen here.
~Eddie
