LIONS CARE RECORDINGS CHRONICLE THE THEMES OF DARKNESS AND DEEPENING DESPERATION OF NORTH EASTERN OHIO WITH SOUND (PART II)
What does one plus one equal?
Up first on this beautifully crafted whatever wax you have available for cheap vinyl record are DAVID BAY LEAF, the protector, the savior, the victim and the reason. These two songs quite honestly are some of the most interesting songs I have ever heard. Reeking of post-punkness if puke, yeah...VOMIT could possibly be buttery delicious there would be collection vessels outside of every college bar and the worlds food shortage would no longer be a fear, it would be a forgotten nightmare. It takes a devotion to unknown conceptual ideas to survive in modern Ohio. You gotta have your angle, you gotta have your weapons ready to use. You got to wear your superstitions on your sleeve and make room for eating meals that should be taken with utensils, by hand. It takes a hands on approach.
Striking with the fury and precision of a mix between ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN if Ian Curtis was more mysterious and a bigger fan of THE SWELL MAPS and DESPERATE BICYCLE. I think J.G. BALLARD wrote of the coming of DAVID BAY LEAF but you will have to read everything he wrote before you find it because it will evade you until the very last sentence. J.G. BALLARD was a prophet.
DAVID BAY LEAF… The night will burn! The night shall not live to see the day! I’m fine with that…
Any motherfucker with a record collection can spout off how a band sounds like. I do it every time, all the time and fucking jazz incorporated (figure that one out, I dare you). But which words choose to flow out if that so-called spongy thing called a brain in relation to the bands an their songs are just as important even if the description of the music is so vague as not being relayed. "Shawn, you don’t say what it sounds like" boo-hoo motherfucker. You don’t want a music review; you want a fucking music catalog! You get what you deserve. You get enthusiasm, the pancakes basic. Don’t fuck it up Dixie cup. I’m eventually going to get to the point of not mentioning a band or any song they do in a review. I have been working up to that my entire career of covering 'music'. BATT LION. This decade or maybe less, I don’t know yet because I’m reaching out right here, right now by saying this 'era' is the era of BATT LION... BATT LION join the ranks of PERE UBU, THE PAGANS. THE SLOBS and KILL THE HIPPIES as being a seminal band(s) of a moment. The juxtaposition of guitars gathers conceptual geniuses not seen from a single band since THE MINUTEMEN. The two incantations (songs) (jams) from BATT LION here represent pure design and development of a greater ultimate plan. There is a plan. Jazzy... Jangely like a PORTER WAGONER song. Manically genius as if "War Pigs" by BLACK SABBATH (which incidentally is thee best Sabbath jam)... The soft rock hard, hard rock harder thing applies here too... BATT LION are like BAD COMPANY mixed with GRATEFUL DEAD who grew up on the rough side of the river. Jean jackets with no sleeves 'FTW' blazoned on back...
BATT LION have built upon what you had and will take it over the top for the trip all the way down hill. The songs from their side of the split complete the story if one guy, an arsonist and how he brought the city of Youngstown Ohio to its fucking knees. If BATT LION (emphasis on the BAT) don’t do it, someone else will have to and I don’t fucking trust them one bit. They will fuck it up. BATT LION are doing their destiny. Every era has a soundtrack and trust me, with BATT LION you are witnessing the greatness of a band moment by moment.
A while back I was asked by Zachie Braun to contribute to his new Zine, RANDOM OLD RECORDS, which I am definitely going to do... I was asked to write about a 7" that changed my life and perception of music. I chose KILL THE HIPPIES "Will Not Overstimulate" EP... That record defined punk-rock to me. Defined a time. Well, this split 7" as a complete package, does in 2012 what that record did in 1998 for me. It sets a course. If you listen to just one thing I ever say... You would have already gotten and continue to cherish that KILL THE HIPPIES record, but if I could have just one more chance or choice that you would listen to from me it would GET THIS FUCKING RECORD RIGHT NOW!
Do not delay. Do not pass go and collect $250.There is no strategy to the board game Monopoly. I will one day sit atop a hill and watch Youngstown die before the rest if the world. This split 7" will be the soundtrack.
So, answer me... What’s your answer?
What does one plus one equal? Anything I want it to be? Don’t be cute you fuck. This is not a time for cuteness. We are at war. (#TotalWarRising)... WHAT DOES ONE PLUS ONE EQUAL?
No matter what you say, your answer is wrong.
One plus one equals two middle fingers right back at you.
DAVID BAY LEAF
BATT LION
LIONS CARE RECORDINGS
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