Album Reviews

Portland, Oregon noisemongers Bothers are back at it with the aptly titled, ‘II’. Their self-titled debut was the perfect way to blow all of the cobwebs out of your head and they haven’t exactly dialed it down for album number two. If anything, they have upped the intensity while also expanding their sound, making it even more sonically dense and… well, weirder. ‘II’ finds the bands keeping the melodic urgency of their debut, but also sees them venturing into metallic hardcore territory. The result? A kickass album that will make you think of Hot Snakes as well as Tragedy. Like I said, they got weirder.

It’s equal parts disheveled punk rock, messy garage rock, unadulterated noise and metallich crunch. Which I didn’t know until now, equals goodness. Having previously spent time in bands like Prison Suicide, Young Livers, No//se, North Lincoln, and Glass and Ashes, these guys have all toured before and after ending up together in Portland, decided to start Bothers. Great decision if you ask me. Play this one really loud when the Yuletide cheer is starting to get to you.

II track listing:

1. Black/Orange
2. Washed Out
3. Ain't Nobody Like You
4. Long Shadows
5. No Town
6. Light/Sound/Gone
7. Bad Solutions
8. Hollowed Out
9. Black Teeth Sadness
10. Cold
11. Darker Eyes