Sub Pop's (awesomely named) Pissed Jeans' latest sounds as though the boys raided the Sub Pop catalogue and emulated what they deemed to be standouts. King of Jeans is equal parts 80s hardcore and minimalist-inspired noise rock. Tracks like "Dominate Yourself" and "Dream Smotherer" are blasted at you with such raw energy that it is impossible not to get a little worked up yourself as you listen. Elsewhere, the sludgey-guitar factor is turned way up to create a murky soundscape that sounds downright sinister even amongst it's rather basic structure ("Request For Masseuse" and the seven minute long "Spent"). Even among all the angst of this album, Pissed Jeans offer a little tongue-in-cheek moment with "Goodbye (Hair)" which still rocks regardless of it's jokey premise. Throughout the album, the influence of Steve Albini (Shellac, Big Black, Rapeman, producer of Nirvana's In Utero) is unquestionable. The noise rock guru's fingerprints are all over this record even though he had no literal participation in it. King of Jeans is a brutal, crunchy album that, even though borrows heavily from music from an earlier generation, fittingly does so in a way that those bands who they (rather obviously) rip off would be proud of this Allentown, PA four piece's latest release.
3.9/5.0
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