The Frustrations - Negative Reflections (X! Records)

Dark, almost druggy, this ain’t punk rock, just beautifully broken noise.

Dec 7, 2011 at 12:00 am
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The Frustrations - Negative Reflections (X! Records)
X! Records

The black sheep of Detroit's punk farm, this trio once distinguished itself on earlier releases with unrestrained psych and noise rock. Reflections mines darker, almost druggier mother lodes — there's outright haunt-rocking songs that include references to "subconscious whores," "nausea-suffocation," "ransacked soul(s)" and acne self-operation. The Twilight Zone-like riffs on "No Repair" lift to siren-like screams. No, this ain't punk rock, it's not exactly noise-rock, nor is it metal; it's fast, lean and gangly, even atonal and droney — a strange meditation built on beautifully broken noise.