PygmyLush

Fuelled by musical influences that read like an alphabetical listing of the innumerable North American rock subgenres, and with a resolute weird factor that generates dissonance and confusion only Mike Patton could endure (or love), Virginia’s PygmyLush rear an experiment steeped in punk and hardcore, while dabbling in bluegrass, folk and every stop in between on this wild 14-song ride. To call Bitter River experimental is touching on its broadness with pure understatement and a danger of inferring overbearing wankery. However, to experience the devolution of raging hardcore into acoustic ditties worthy of Traffic and America (highlighted on tracks such as "Send Bombs,” "Hurt Everything” and "Nonsensical Tremor”) commands nothing but congratulations of musical evolution. Hearing a band accomplish such maddened genre-hopping competently and with vigour is inspiring and in this case, incredibly appealing.