The Death Set

Beau Velasco's passing has resulted in one of the most profound rock records in recent years. Michel Poiccard (the sophomore effort from Brooklyn, NY's the Death Set) is a charged, intimate, biographical record that stems from the roots of Worldwide. The album title is a very accurate description, as it references a 1962 film in which a poor man adopts the glamorous personality of star Humphrey Bogart. The tracks still abound with thrashing rhythms and rushed vocals, yet contain elegant melodies rarely seen in the genre. Some tracks, including "Slap Slap Slap Pound Up Down Snap" and "We Are Going Anywhere Man," retain the edgy feel of their debut. In contrast, "I Miss You Beau Velasco" and "Is It the End Again?" contain a serener quality layered with underlying electronic ambience. The album is capped off with guest band Spankrock and even vocals by Beau Velasco, in the dialogue-inspired "Is That A French Dog?" Johnny Siera's vocals are powerful, suiting the tone of Michel Poiccard perfectly. The Death Set have created an album with a surprising sense of depth and should not be overlooked by any punk enthusiast.