Bill Bondsmen- Overcrowded Control b/w Untitled 45 review

Bill Bondsmen- Overcrowded Control b/w Untitled 45 review

Dark, ambient, and atmospheric, this 45 is a heavy hitter.  The gruff musings of singer Tony Bevaque ring of the cynical philosophies of those downtrodden by the hope once provided by youthful optimism, never too clear nor too cacophonous in its message or its words.  The guitars make up the rhythm and the ambient sounds, as the band has two guitars, and it couldn’t have worked out better.  “Overcrowded Control”, while still a driving a punk song, is a two-pronged weapon; it is a song and a half, impossible to hear the entirely of what it has to offer in just one listen.  Though the guitarist claims to have somewhat ripped off the intro to this song from Agent Orange’s “Bloodstains”, I don’t see enough of a resemblance to agree.  “Untitled” is sonically similar, but the lyrical content and song structure is very different.  It is also a bit slower and more post punk than its a-side counterpart.  The mix on this record is not so much balanced, but rather appropriate.  Guitars are louder than all else, and the rest is essentially the same level, but slightly different, in a barely noticeable way.  The packaging is unique, and it’s the first time in a while I’ve seen a band put out a 45 with only two songs on it.  If a band can put out material of this quality, they can release all the two song 45s they want.

-Aunty Social

Bill Bondsmen- Nineteen b/w Things Fall Apart 45 review

Bill Bondsmen- Nineteen b/w Things Fall Apart 45 review

As the first song “Nineteen” starts, the singer’s anger definitely radiates over the almost psychedelic sounding heavy guitar jam that is alternated with equally heavy riffing.  The tempo never picks up beyond mid-tempo, but it never needs to- the energy is there.  All the instruments sound equally clear and balanced, managing to be distinct in their own ways.  However, the guitar is driving the sound and the vocals are moving it forward.  This definitely has an aura of pissed-off classic hardcore, but it is not- it’s a very different sound altogether.  The guitar gets into some spacy riffing parts that throw one for a loop, and it’s pretty cool.  “Things Fall Apart” is much the same in its setup, but being much shorter, it seems that much more brutish- the instrumentation and lyrics indicate that brutality does not equal unintelligent.  As the heavy riffs ring just underneath the singer’s voice, there are periodic pauses in the beat as these guitar sounds crank out and literally ring, and a voice is heard in the background, a puzzling and mysterious addition to the song.  This is unique, weird, crushing punk rock with a garage and psychedelic tinge.  The artwork is simple yet complex in its own way, and the insert is as simple as a lyric sheet and contact information.  A good couple of songs, though I prefer the short and intense blasts of the second song moreso than the first one.  Both are worthwhile, though.

-Aunty Social