These Are Powers - Terrific Seasons

These are Powers
Terrific Seasons
(10.2007, Hoss Records)
Verdict: I think I have a new favorite band, and I got like a crush on the guitar player.

In their press release These are Powers describe themselves as "ghost punk." Now, this isn’t some downer ghost of Jacob Marley mumbo jumbo. This is like those three crazy ghosts from the Casper movie with Christina Ricci. Ya know, Fatso Stinky and Stretch? Man those ghosts were some bad dudes. Well, These are Powers give those ghosts a run for their money. Wreaking havoc across 43 minutes of super rad tribal beats, distorted bass, repetitive guitar hooks, screeches, squeals, drones and some of the most effective bad booty guy/girl vocals a genre like ghost punk could offer. The album starts out with a dance your socks off train wreck with no hope of survival. While the whole album doesn’t maintain this level of danceablity, it for sure keeps the no survival train wreck vibe. Man, I’m listening to track 4 as I write this; I can’t even think straight, sooo good. The way rad thing about this album is amidst the shorter ghost rockin’ jams we (the listener) are rewarded with the 20 minute epic "Pizza Master Ice Cream Palace." I mean can you imagine what a Pizza Master Ice Cream Palace would be like? I bet it would have a lot of cool arcade games like Bucky O’ Hare and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time. Now if most bands of the train wreck experimental dance post punk rockin’ persuasion were in this Pizza Master Ice Cream Palace, they’d probably be trying to eat like 3 slices of extra meat combo at a time and end up getting sick within ten minutes. But These are Powers don’t over indulge with all the extra toppings, creating one of the most satisfying jam sessions my ears have heard in a while. Without even a stomach ache, they’re that good. On a side note, just like Mr. Thistle, my mind was completely blown by their Kilby "pwning" set. Best live show I’ve seen since Black Eyes came to town in 2003. I don’t know how to end this review, get their album; it’s got like a screen printed fish on the D side.

-Wooly Mammal

These Are Powers - "Little Sisters of Beijing"