Briefs

It’s anarchy in…Seattle? That place-name isn’t what you would expect, considering the way the Briefs can come crashing through a set of headphones like they’re tramping through the scuzziest streets of London. Paying homage to their obsession with the 1979 era, the Briefs return with more of their fitful, deviant musical tantrums on this third full-length release. This quartet sweats through 14 tracks of frenzied fun, balancing political issues such as terrorism on "Agent Orange,” with more quirky tracks like the ode to Winona Ryder on "Shoplifting at Macy’s.” The aggression and imagination of the music of the late ’70s that the Briefs are so fascinated with is still prevalent on their work at this point in their career. You can hear the rambunctiousness of the Damned and the mania of the Adverts in the realm of this album. And although the late ’70s is an epoch that frequently appears on the list of influences for many bands these days, this tireless foursome still retains a level of aesthetic invention. As the Briefs’ tight, upbeat sound comes hurtling towards you, it’s likely you’ll be reduced to dancing around deliriously.