Record #133: Pissed Jeans' 'King of Jeans'
As you might have partially deduced from their name, Pissed Jeans are an aggressive, heavy, hardcore-punk-influenced four-piece from Pennsylvania who make noisy indie rock in the tradition of Black Flag, Fugazi and all the other early legends of the ’80s punk scene. Frontman Matt Korvette’s caustic growl is similar to that of The Constantines’ Steve Lambke—though Korvette certainly is less interested in carrying a conventional melody—and King of Jeans is their second release via Sub Pop. These songs are incredibly heavy, but they almost always remain mid-tempo and densely packed with enormous, mean guitar tones and resounding drums. Nothing on King of Jeans is rushed or sloppy or fast, but it’s consistently thick and belligerent, with vocals that are equal parts angry and strangely hilarious in a manner occasionally reminiscent of The Fall. Hardcore punk/post-hardcore isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a fan, this will likely be a candidate for your favorite record of the year.
