Spawned from the 1000 and more bands of the amazingly fertile and creative music scene of Melbourne, Australian ‘judy punk’ 5 piece LVIV is a local supergroup of sort, made of members of Culte, Pting, Spike Vincent and Eye Seaweed.
Recorded in over two months with the help of Adam Smith from our faves post-punkers Pinch Points, the 5-track Self/Titled debut EP has just been released, on limited cassette and digital, via fellow independent label Roolette Records.
An irresistible and impassioned mixture of fuzzy garage-rock, brazen punk with some The Fall and Velvets suggestions, comprised by angular and effective six-string riffage, solid and direct rhythm section, droning synth, growling bass over angsty dual vocals, to deliver five concise yet anthemic guitar-driven punky miniatures gripped by unrelenting kinetic energy in a distinctive yet straightforward combination of catchiness and roughness, simultaneously gripping and disturbing.
Though it should be listened to in one breath to be completely wasted by its striking vibrancy and vigor, I’ll pick the thrilling and raucous, Parquet Courts‘ “Stoned and Starving” inspired, “Time”.
As relentless and repetitive as they are jittery and abrasive guitar riffs jag and cut, underpinned by taut, punchy drums and deep sinuously warbling bass line, to build a dense, strained spine for urgent, anxious female vocals, interspersed by infectious ‘running-out-of-time-a.m/p.m.!’ bouncy hooks, varying fear shame, and longing in a race to find love.
It’s always worth taking a stroll in Melbourne‘s musical undergrowth to gather tasty and raw gems like LVIV, hardly you’ll go back home empty-handed.
Keep up with LVIV:
