E292 - The Whimbrels - Top 5 Noise Rock Albums

Things are gonna get LOUD! This week, we turn the amps up to 11 and put the effects pedals on stun as we celebrate Noise Rock.

What exactly is "noise rock" though?? At its simplest definition, it’s rock music that emphasizes noise - distortion, feedback, dissonance, abrasion.  But as a subgenre, it only takes a cursory look through internet music forums to see how easily these things can digress into petty arguments about what is or is not noise rock.  Commonly perceived as precursors to noise rock would be various ‘60s psych bands like 13th Floor Elevators and the ubiquitous Velvet Underground, free jazz, and early experimental music where traditional instruments were manipulated to sound like anything but traditional instruments.  In the punk era, the natural outgrowth were things like the no wave scene that was happening in New York and British bands like The Fall, Swell Maps, and This Heat.  From there, throughout the ‘80s, ‘90s and beyond, the term was synonymous with bands like Sonic Youth, Big Black, Swans, the Jesus Lizard, and any number of bands in which Steve Albini had a hand in some way. 

Joining us to wade through the mud is a New York based band whose members had a hand in shaping our perception of noise rock. The Whimbrels have just released their self titled debut album on Dromedary Records, and it's an astounding, ambitious and riff-laden affair that has plenty of noise, but also a lot of dynamics and deceptively accessible moments.  Guitarist/Vocalist/Songwriter Arad Evans was associated with Glenn Branca’s ensemble from the 1980’s until Branca’s 2018 death, as well as his band Heroes of Toolik and scores of others.  Bassist/Vocalist/Songwriter Matt Hunter co-founded the great ‘90s/2000’s cult favorites New Radiant Storm King and has played with a ton of other notables such as J. Mascis, King Missile, and Silver Jews. 

Thanks to Howard Wuelfing from Howlin' Wuelf Media for the introduction and coordination!

Proud members of the Pantheon Podcasts family.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices