When I caught word Women were preparing to release a new album, that I was set to review it, and that it was to be produced by my personal hero– the enigmatic Chad VanGaalen who also produced their previous album– my expectations were high, to say the least. But instead of a musically-induced orgasm, I was left with auditory blue-balls. Interestingly enough, the incessant droning sound that fills the album and is supposedly music is remarkably similar to what you would get if you gave electric instruments to a handful of chimps. If I wanted to hear something so offending I would have picked up Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music instead, which showed the world that there is a difference between music and nonsense sound 35 years ago.
Their previous album was like a lovely little wedding with good cake. However, if this album, Public Strain, is the honeymoon, then it is equivalent to you and your newlywed bride hopping on the wrong plane and getting stuck vacationing on a windy ice-flow rather than on the sunny beach you had intended.
On September 28 Public Strain is set to be released, but you could just stay home instead. I know I will be.
..Remi Watts