The Worms are big favourites. A snarling three piece from London (a DIY super group if you will) featuring one member from each of Cold Pumas, Omni Palone and Es. The sum of their parts is a twitchy, primal and infectious punk rock assault.
On this their second album, released this time via the great Hidden Bay Records, The Worms have continued where they left off on 2016’s excellent ‘Everything In Order’. Having been treated to a performance from the band at our DIY Why Not Festival at the start of the year we got to know some of these new songs and the set left us hugely anticipating this record.
The album kicks off in typical Worms fashion with “Humble Brag”. Sharp but heavily reverbed drums and super scratchy staccato guitar jabs guitar are accompanied by a great revolving bassline. Oliver Fisher’s unique vocals are like that of someone who has already screamed their voice hoarse but carrying on shouting anyway.
He sounds like a man on a mission to well and truly destroy his vocal chords.
Whilst there is a slight distortion on the vocals his voice actually sounds like this live too. The chorus upsets the rhythm and explodes with call and response lyrics of “Humble” “Brag”. It’s a high octane introduction. “Mr Lamp The Lady” has a really fun bass groove, guitar that scratches, bends and feeds back and primitive drums that make for a great garage punk cocktail. “Belly Of The Beast” is fast, pounding almost Oi punk that’s 1 minute 23 seconds of pure attitude.
There’s a wry cutting cynicism to “Bad Smell” that recalls The Country Teasers.
The rolling bridge is really satisfying, the rumbling bass and disparate guitar clangs holding the tension before they unleash the great chorus one last time. “Bored Of Bastards” is a relative moment of calm, building on a chiming guitar part which is lightly effected with phaser. Fisher’s vocals are slightly more subdued, allowing notes to draw out. More of a growl than the usual bark. It’s a really good indie rock song.
The dirty bass opening of “Breeding Ground” resumes business as usual as they kick back into gear. The guitar is wirey with single notes played up the neck and simple chord sequences providing the dynamic shifts over Jack Gillis’s steady trashy drums.
Clocking in at not much over a minute, “Dave Is Dead” is a great garage hardcore song It’s perfect for the naughty kids at the indie disco to get all that mad energy out. This is brought into brilliant contrast by the following “Frequency Of Behaviour” which has a really fun, almost Breeders-like, bassline from bassist Flora. It drives a serious groove before the menacing chanted chorus.
The band shift rhythmically several times providing perhaps the most sophisticated moment on the record and, for us, the album’s highlight.
“Anxiety Pit” initially has a more plodding rhythm with another of those great basslines. It gives the listener a false sense of security before the halfway mark which surprisingly bursts into life before brilliantly shifting back into the original rhythms with the mangled guitars clanging over the top. Naturally they make time for one more short burst before the song abruptly ends.
Final track “Sex Robot” is one final burst of energy that absolutely launches out of the speakers after the guitar intro. The drums like machine guns, the bass overdriven to all hell. It has one of those easily charitable choruses that audiences love. The lyrics to it, of course, “Sex Robot!” There is an ace extended outro with dual vocals that carries the album to a fitting close. The Worms have produced a breathlessly energetic, brilliantly disgusting sounding record which is highly recommended to any fan of garage punk.
You may enjoy this record if you like: Coachwhips, Country Teasers
Pre-order and listen to ‘Sex Robot’:
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