Protomartyr "Formal Growth in the Desert" (2023)

Formal Growth in the Desert

release date: Jun. 2, 2023

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]

producer: Greg Ahee, Jake Aron

label: Domino - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Make Way" - 2. "For Tomorrow" - 3. "Elimination Dances" (4 / 5) - 4. "Fun in Hi Skool" (live) - 5. "Let's Tip the Creator" - 6. "Graft vs. Host" - 7. "3800 Tigers" - 8. "Polacrilex Kid" (live) - 10. "We Know the Rats" (4 / 5) - 12. "Rain Garden"

6th studio album by post-punk revivalists Protomartyr following three years after the acclaimed Ultimate Success Today (Jul. 2020) is another high quality release from a band who understands to stay true to its origins while exploring new territory.

Musically, it's fierce alt. rock building on an American college rock-tradition where both Pixies and Modest Mouse play equal parts with more classic British punk rock and post-punk roots. And then still, Protomartyr sounds just like no one else. They play with a nuanced understanding of balancing quiet and loud and delicate with the brutal, and lead vocalist Joe Casey's political comments are mixed with surreal / cryptic messages that fronts Greg Ahee's white noisy guitar constructs in perfect balanced disorder.

Formal Growth in the Desert gives us Protomartyr as a highly vital American band with something to offer than just a fabrication of mainstream sound.

Highly recommended. [Get the album here].

[ 👍allmusic.com, Uncut, Slant 4 / 5, 👍SputnikMusic 4,1 / 5, TheLineOfBestFit 4,5 / 5, Pitchfork 7,6 / 10 stars ]

Protomartyr "Ultimate Success Today" (2020)

Ultimate Success Today

release date: Jul. 17, 2020

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]

producer: Protomartyr, David Tolomei

label: Domino - nationality: USA

5th album by Protomartyr follows nearly three years after Relatives in Descent (Sep. 2017), and it sort of arrives as a gritty exploration of existential dread. The album continues straight out of the tone of the predecessor showcasing that raw, driving energy that has become the band's hallmark.

Musically, the album features the band’s signature blend of jangly guitars, punchy rhythms, and hints of noise rock. While the album has standout tracks that showcase the band’s growth and depth, some songs can feel meandering, perhaps lacking the punch that defines their best work. Nonetheless, the reflective nature of tracks like "The Aphorist" adds a layer of introspection that complements the album's overall narrative.

Ultimate Success Today is a fine entry in Protomartyr's discography. It captures the spirit of its time with sharp lyrics and a robust sound, even if it occasionally falters in pacing. For fans of post-punk and those seeking a reflection on contemporary anxieties, this album is worth a listen, and even though, I don't find it among their absolute best, it definitely has its moments - much in the same way their other albums have turned out as rough and dirty, and filled with light beams in the darkest of nights, as something sinister overthrown with elements of beauty.

Protomartyr "Relatives in Descent" (2017)

Relatives in Descent

release date: Sep. 29, 2017

format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]

producer: Protomartyr & Sonny DiPerri

label: Domino - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "A Private Understanding" (4 / 5) - 3. "My Children" - 4. "Caitriona" - 5. "The Chuckler" - 6. "Windsor Hum" - 7. "Don't Go to Anacita" (4 / 5) - 9. "Night-Blooming Cereus" - 12. "Half Sister"

4th studio album by Protomartyr follows two years after The Agent Intellect (Oct. 2015). The album is the band's first to have actual producer credits as their previous releases only mention recording engineers.

Stylewise, the band has progressed from a more minimalist version of garage rock and post-punk to a more refined version still drawing on both styles in combination of more complexity bonding with indie rock and echoing The Bad Seeds, Pixies, and Modest Mouse - in their most tense versions, and sometimes with small hints of The National. That said, Protomartyr are still very much post-punk revivalists in the tradition where both Interpol and Joy Division play their parts. Greg Ahee's guitar swirls and roars as if a clone of Daniel Kessler (Interpol) Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), and Black Francis (Pixies), while bassist Scott Davidson and drummer Alex Leonard are both highly familiar with Peter Hook and Stephen Morris of New Order / Joy Division. And in front of it all, vocalist Joe Casey fills in with sheer parts of Nick Cave, Matt Berninger, Ian Curtis - at times with a distinct Mark E. Smith (The Fall) wryness on top of his own original sneer. It's both dark, noisy, melodic, and first of all: pretty lively.

Bottom line: it's easily the band's so far best album, and a highly recommended listen.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, 👍NME, Record Collector 4 / 5, 👎Pitchfork 6,9 / 10, The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

Protomartyr "No Passion All Technique" (2012)

No Passion All Technique [debut]

release date: Oct. 8, 2012

format: cd (2019 reissue)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]

producer: non-produced

label: Domino - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "In My Sphere" - 4. "3 Swallows" - 6. "Jumbo's" - 10. "How He Lived After He Died" - 11. "Feral Cats"

Studio album debut by Detroit-based post-punk revivalist quartet Protomartyr consisting of vocalist Joe Casey, guitarist Greg Ahee, bassist Scott Davidson, and drummer Alex Leonard. The album was originally released on independent label Urinal Cake Records, and after releasing the critically acclaimed The Agent Intellect (Oct. 2015) the band signed with Domino.

This their first album out doesn't mention producer credits apparently because it was recorded as is by recording engineer Chris Koltay. Stylewise, it sounds much like proto-punk as played by MC5 and The Stooges with some tracks pointing more at the early British punk rock scene with especially The Fall as an obvious influence. Although, it's garage rock-styled in sound and probably hasn't been submitted to any post-production techniques, the sound is still better than what it's inspired by. Drums, bass, guitar, and vocal all have a certain crispiness that makes one aware that it wasn't recorded several decades ago when musical equipment just didn't always suffice to transport the actual energy back on vinyl or to a tape.

No Passion All Technique is hard proto-punk, which doesn't aim to satisfy anyone's request for traditional harmony-driven melodies. Protomartyr are in that regard strongly inspired by other ways of musical expression, and without it being tribute material, it does echo strong references to MC5, The Stooges, Pere Ubu, and The Fall. The album stands as the band's most simplistic and also only actual garage-rock album as all preceeding releases contain more complex compositions. The front cover feature a photograph of Julius Robert Oppenheimer.

To me, this is a fine debut, but also one that sits somewhat on its own as living its own life as a release that could nearly fill in a spot in musical history together with some of the band's influences.

Not recommended.