THE MESSTHETICS Vinyl & CDs

Review: Jazz and punk's best legacies fuse together with this latest collaborative release between The Messthetics and James Brandon. Brandon is a jazz saxophonist and contemporary virtuoso from New York; meanwhile, the Messthetics consist of former Fugazi members - bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty with guitarist Anthony Pirog. Continuing the latter's pegging as a 'jazz punk jam', the focus here is on Brandon's novel sax playing, lent to the Messthetics' cathartic, ultimate punk-riffing focus. All is instrumental, as signalled on the lead single 'Emergence', which finds pure enjoyment in variation around a singular four-by-four bass loop. In the saxophonist's own words: "The Messthetics are friends at this point and collaborating with them over the years has now brought us to another high point of musical bonding and purely unapologetic energy!"

Review: The Messthetics is a new instrumental trio project formed of Fugazi rhythm section Brendan Canty and Joe Lally, and Washington DC based experimental guitarist Anthony Pirog. This self-titled debut was put together from live sessions recorded at Canty's rehearsal space throughout last year, with very little overdubbing. The coupling of exploratory jazz-based experimentation with the bristling post-punk sensibilities makes for a consistently interesting listen throughout. Lead single 'Serpent Tongue' highlights this musical duality, written in unusual time signatures but underpinned by fuzz-drenched power chords and relentless bassline. The first full-length featuring Canty and Lally since Fugazi's hiatus in 2002, 'The Messthetics' is an aspirational debut from this new venture, and a must-listen for any fans of the aforementioned band's off-kilter punk sound and Pirog's rich and textural guitar work.