With this review comes a secret that might get me kicked out of a lot of my social circles and so for me to admit this is rather brave because I don't have the kind of social circles I can afford to be kicked out of if you know what I mean. I have never seen an episode of the show "Twin Peaks". I don't know why people who make shoegaze music (And other musicians, as this is admittedly not shoegaze) seem to be so obsessed with it, but I've never seen an episode. And what's even moreso to that point is that I just have no interest in the series, in the fandom. Is that wrong to say?
On Side B there is an audio clip from "Twin Peaks", which is why I wrote that first paragraph there. I assume the fans of the show will catch onto it right away- where it is from I mean- because I had to Google it to figure it out. I'm just happy I was able to find results by Google because sometimes I'll try and find where an audio clip is from and I can't. (Anyone who has any hints on this, please feel free to contact me as there is a specific audio clip in a song- not on this album- and I know that I know where it's from but I just can't place it. And, no, it is not from "Twin Peaks")
Trauma Harness has this distinct sound of keyboard/synth fun which goes between something you'd hear in the 1980's/1990's and a form of more modern bedroom pop. I don't have a lot of current focal points for bedroom pop-- I mean, they're out there and I've reviewed them even, but I always seem to go back to the days when Schatzi first entered my life and I listened to a band called Sic Transit Gloria which is probably rather vague right now.
These songs are a lot of fun and the most direct influences I can tie to them are something like The B-52's or Oingo Boingo, specifically because I imagine these songs being played at a college party ala "Back To School". If Already Dead ever did a cassette where artists covered their favorite songs from the 1980's/1990's, I'd predict Trauma Harness to tackle "Dead Man's Party".
What I like most about these songs though is that aside from the energy they convey, you can get them stuck in your head but while you're singing them you'll be singing about how you don't want to be a part of a community (which can be as simple as "fuck my neighbors" or the more elaborate "I don't need a music scene to tell me who I am") I'm not one to tell people how to make their music (much like I hope they don't tell me how to write-- burned too many bridges that way) but this feels like the lyrics of something like Depeche Mode, more upbeat music but downbeat lyrics and I particularly enjoy that about it as it has been something I feel hasn't- and maybe never will- be explored enough.
An edition of 100, this cassette can be purchased for $5 by following this link: https://alreadydeadtapes.bandcamp.com/album/ad231-trauma-harness-pain-defeat-death-revival
Be sure to also check out all of the great music from Trauma Harness at this link: https://traumaharness.bandcamp.com/
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