Album Reviews

Album Review: Marnie Stern – Marnie Stern (Souterrain Transmissions)

By | Published on Monday 1 November 2010

Marnie Stern

Marnie Stern shreds. There’s no other word for it. Super complex lattice-work guitar lines splatter over each of this record’s ten tracks like so many arcs of technicolour jism. Stern and her recurrent sticksman Zach Hill (formerly of Hella and, briefly, Wavves) have concocted an immensely enjoyable, freewheeling, wailing album of fretwank-genius layered over bludgeoning post-hardcore breakdowns that remind this listener at least of Drive Like Jehu jamming with Yngwie Malmsteen.

‘Marnie Stern’ is a genuine progression from her previous two albums: the songwriting has, allegedly, become more personal, more mature. Though this claim is hard to verify seeing as the vocals – tumultuous, caterwauling vocals – are buried in the mix. It’s difficult to describe the sheer physical effect Stern’s guitar playing has; hyper, complicated melodies repeat and fold in on themselves, submerged under the weight of their own inventiveness. Hill’s cymbals clash and roll in over the whips of sound Stern strangles from her instrument. It’s to their credit that the music is never lost to pointless showing off; it’s rare to hear an album that exudes this much fun and excitement without being overbearing.

Like Lightning Bolt’s ‘Wonderful Rainbow’, Marnie Stern makes me wish I’d spent my teen years listening to brutally difficult metal rather than minimal techno. And anyone who knows me will understand what a big statement that is. It’s an album that makes you stop, stare at the stereo and think, “fuck, yeah. FUCK YEAH!” A genuinely joyous experience. JAB.

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