Lance and Liz of Permanent Records have supported our little label from the very beginning. They were the first store to carry our records, the first store to invite our bands to play in the shop and have become some of our best friends. Over the past year, Permanent Records has become a home for us kids who love dirty underground punk and feverish garage rock and roll. So of course when we heard that Liz and Lance were in a band, we expected nothing short of heavy and dangerous garage punk.
The Ripper Current EP was recorded by their buddy Ty Segall (who really needs no introduction. If you don’t know about Ty, something important is missing in your life). The result is everything we love about punk and garage rock. The guitars are loud, fuzz fueled blasts of feedback, Liz’s drums are perfect examples of lightning fast minimalism and Lance’s bass brings the driving distorted bottom end. Then there’s guitarist/vocalist Greg Bummers perfect old school hardcore punk vocal delivery. I’m talking the days of FEAR hardcore.
Recently it seems like the Los Angeles “garage rock” scene has been largely populated by reverb drenched, surf/psych music. Though we’re fans of some of those artists, it’s refreshing to hear a band bring the danger back to garage rock. The A-Side is a perfect specimen of garage power. “Such a Drag” kicks off the EP with a heavy fuzzed out bass line before igniting into a furious, hooky wave of noise. “Your Treatment” serves as the catchiest track on the EP with a bouncing three-chord progression and anthemic chorus “I want it, want it now, want it nooow”.
The B-side finds Endless Bummer indulging in their more noisy, punk rock tendencies, which they do fucking perfectly. “What I Want” is fifty seven seconds of Ramones style rebellion. “The End” bookends the EP in a beautifully chaotic mess of screams, distortion and driving drums. It’s on this side that Endless Bummer release the devil and single-handedly reignited my love for crazy punk music.
Endless Bummer have released a great debut. If you like your punk nasty, heavy, with a touch of surf you won’t be bummed out at all. Pick up the EP at their Bandcamp or at Permanent Records! Out now via Trouble in Mind.