Vinyl Review: "I Want This To End" by The Erkonauts

Can we all take a moment to really consider what a shitshow 2020 has been? When something goes right, three other things go wrong.

Honk if you've had your Prius's catalytic converter stolen this year and take a shot if it's happened to you twice. I'm in the latter.

Honk if you've lost your job. Honk if you've lost a parent and just drink a bottle of whiskey if you've lost more than one. 

Light a candle for those who've lost more than two.

So, for the last review of the year, I'm lucky enough to get to do a vinyl review of this amazing band's latest record. You might recall my previous reviews of The Erkonauts...they're an odd sort of band that's a bit influenced by bands like Faith No More and Infectious Grooves.

Let's dive into side one.

LP Review: "I Shall Forgive" by The Erkonauts

I Shall Forgive

It's hard to think of this, but it's true.

There was a time where Faith No More and Infectious Grooves did not exist.

When the only time you were hearing those funky ass bass lines was in...well funk and whatever the hell The Red Hot Chili Peppers are.

Then, this new thing surfaced. You could listen to heavy music with dat funky butt bass. Jason Newsted attempted to add this sort of thing to Metallica, who knows if it ever made it past the editing room.

Infectious Grooves and Faith No More were the beginnings of a new kind of metal. Then bands like White Zombie and Pantera took this idea and made it more mainstream by making it less crazy.

Album Review: "I Did Something Bad" by The Erkonauts

I Did Something Bad

When I was in high school, my best friend played bass in a couple bands.

Due to his influence, to me, the bass guitar became something more than just half of the rhythm section, but a genuine instrument capable of adding more to the music than the just that bottom end.

Based on my experience, it really is true that bass players love Rush, Primus, Stu Hamm, and all the rest of those guys.

Knowing Nate like I did helped open my eyes to music in a new and different way.

Even now, I still appreciate some kick ass basslines, but we don't seem to get as many of them as we used to in the free wheelin' 90's when music, metal in particular, was a bit more open and less genre conforming.