Denude - A Murmuration of Capitalist Bees (Expert Work Records/Dipterid Records)

What happens when the drummer from Credentials and Murder in the Red Barn decides to start a new project as a singer/guitarist/songwriter? When they mix in a bassist from Fuiguirnet and a drummer from Piglet and Fresh Hell, what happens is an impressive mix of melody and math, dissonance and dynamics, elegant prose and excitable punk. 

The album starts strong with the band’s first single, Oh Friend Entropy, kicking things off. A discerning ear may recognize Matt Parrish's drum sound as being somewhat Albini-esque, dialed in expertly at Milwaukee’s Howl Street Recording. Despite the plethora of notes being played by the three gentlemen of Denude, it’s easy to hear everything that’s going on.

There is a noticeable amount of balance present on this album. For each song with a hummable tune and danceable groove (Animal Tracks), there’s another with a discordant cacophony of atonal chaos (12th Battle on the Isonzo). Or songs that have a little bit of everything (Ypre). A few songs in the listener may notice an underlying theme of Jesse Schomisch’s bass lines anchoring each song beautifully; preventing the guitar and drums from straying into Hella territory.

It’s really too bad that Youtube took down their video for Phalanx because it’s a thing of beauty. For now the music will have to speak for itself. And with everything going on in the world lately, Denude certainly have a lot to say. James David’s lyrics are anything but an afterthought paired with his inspired guitar-work.

Recommended for fans of: Shellac, Faraquet, Braid, the Dismemberment Plan, Burning Airlines, the Jesus Lizard