I obviously didn’t think much of “Psychic Dance Routine” or “How Flowers Grow,” and I definitely didn’t understand the interest in the band’s paper thin hardcore and prior musical output even though the energy and live shows were always there. But on their latest release Scowl gets it more than right. These are awesome songs. Simple, and play to their strengths and Kat Moss finally shines properly with a spectacularly appropriate and fun bubblegum vocal performance. How do you bail out an absolute trash lick like the one in “Fleshed Out”? Moss has the answer. Track after track, the vocals and melodies more than solve the band’s monotony and sluggish musicianship. It’s going to take some subtle changes to the live show to pull this off, but if Moss can lock into what was recorded here, and the band can help round out the backtrack of vocal honey, Scowl will be undeniable.
This is a band that should be headed straight for the moon and it’s great they finally focused on Moss’s songwriting talents. The last decade has seen hardcore drawing its influences from 90’s era alternative, and Scowl’s obvious influences and unique application make this a great highlight release for 2025. We haven’t heard a punk band emulate Lit and Hole before.
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