First release for Golden Voyage records is this LP from the Philly based Psychic Teens, simply titled Teen. As the big heart with an “X” through it would indicate, this isn’t exactly your feel good record. This one rides the 80’s goth/darkwave era hard, but with a bit more added noise and distortion that will likely draw mentions of influence from shoegaze, etc. The singer especially seems to really be following the Joy Division line of approach, with cold monotone echoed out vocals. They seem to go back and forth with each track as far as ramping up the noise factor goes. The lead track “YUNG” serves well in getting things started and is no doubt one of the highlights, aside from the opening “Surrender” riff that pulls me away from it some. However, towards the end of the track it turns into a claustrophobic mess of noise that seems to be about the heaviest moment on the record actually. Other than on a track like “ARM”, this bit of thick nastiness doesn’t really reappear and instead more so follows a similar path that bands like Ceremony and Screen Vinyl Image are also exploring by wiring together big melodies, treble heavy noise, and ample amounts of goth influence. That’s a bit of competition right there, and there is certainly more than that out there currently, but from what I’m hearing on Teen they stand to elbow their way past a few.
Psychic Teens – YUNG [MP3]
Anyone that is interested in picking up Teen can do so by hitting up the Golden Voyage webstore or Bandcamp if digital is your thing.
Moving right along, Puerto Rico Flowers have just recently put out their first full-length album 7 (representing the number of songs on it), which follows up two successful releases thus far since debuting in 2010 with the 12” EP 4. For those that haven’t had a chance to happen upon Puerto Rico Flowers, it’s the gloom and doom goth/post-punk vehicle for ex-Clockcleaner frontman John Sharkey III. If you heard the last couple Clockcleaner’s releases before they called it a day, then that should give a decent idea as to the direction Sharkey has taken on fully with Puerto Rico Flowers.
Not a whole lot has changed here from what fans have heard previously. Sharkey once again draws up some tunes that are supported heavily by monotonous thick bass lines, rolling thudding drums, and lots of synth. You could look at this as a negative, but what Sharkey does, he does very very well in terms of song craft and writing. He has a formula here and he’s running with it to a great degree of success and that’s why three releases in they are still a welcome presence among my stereo. Albeit one that is depressing as hell. But again, it’s with this level of authenticity that Sharkey conveys with his bleak tunes and through his general vocal style of hopelessness that keeps these songs afloat. However, I do fear that this can’t necessarily continue down the same path and eventually there is going to have to be some signs of divergence. Not to say 7 doesn’t have its moments of such a thing, but they are still all too brief with a song like “Keep Me Around” that has recurrent themes but also ushers in a bit of bounce that hasn’t really found its way into any of the songs yet. With that said, 7 is a fine album and is certainly a winner for those out there that can’t get enough of PRF’s tunes. I find myself extremely interested in where Sharkey chooses to go with this next though.
Puerto Rico Flowers – The Pain Comes Slowly (stream)
Anyone wishing to pick up 7 can do so by heading over to Fan Death. Definitely recommended if you enjoy what you hear above or just have been digging on everything that PRF has released thus far. Enjoy!
