Photo By:
adeleWinn | courtneyWhitloW
Memphis powerhouse, Nots, debut their new video "Persona" today. The band collaborated with Memphis-based visual artists and photographers Adele C Winn and Courtney WhitloW who work under the the collective WWW. They explain, "We began with a visual concept, rather than narrative - we knew we wanted to use projection, play with overlaying of form, scale, transparency, density, color. We played with those techniques to distort the meaning of artificial reality, perception, and societal projection. We drew from the color scheme of the album- which references the red and green from street lights STOP-GO."
"The anxiety remains but the sound almost seems float as a whirring ambience vacillates underneath a swinging arpeggiated bass line. It feels undeniably punk, even the abraded vocals resonate like a more spacey Bratmobile" STEREOGUM
"Their trippy punk hybrid has a brilliant, hallucinatory effect. There are things lurking, looking over Nots' shoulder. The trio thrashes and contorts in rebellion against their threatened agency." PITCHFORK
"A potent set of aggressive, stripped-down post-punk with squalling angular guitars, buzzing synths, driving rhythms, urgent vocals and angst-fueled lyrics" KEXP
"Urgent with a dose of paranoia running through its veins" BROOKLYN VEGAN
"A frantic, dizzying exploration of the ways in which our connection to reality can be frayed by constantly putting on an act and leading a performative life" PASTE
"Nots at their most feral, vicious, and vital." RAVEN SINGS THE BLUES
"It's harrowing and alluring and somnambulant and highly fun" EARS TO FEED
Themes of lost control and societal division are spread throughout '3'. They can be heard not only via
Hoffmann's reverb-drenched drawl, but also in the sneaky tightness between drummer Charlotte Watson
and bassist Meredith Lones that occasionally (and quickly) devolves into a beautiful, reckless cacophony before shoring back up again. It's all pretty heady stuff, no doubt, but because Nots tracked and recorded '3' live -- as has been their way with all of their albums -- they were also able to infuse it with what Hoffman describes as "an intensity and improvisational energy."
When Alexandra Eastburn left Nots in 2018, the threat of losing the gnarled texture or her hammering synth progressions resulted in some real growing pains for the band. But once the newly anointed threesome arrived at Bunker Audio in Memphis to record with trusted engineer and friend Andrew McCalla, each member had embraced Nots fresh identity. Rather than abandon the noisy synth attack, Hoffmann instead decided to add another role to her expanding sonic arsenal. After the record began to take form, it felt much more accurate to understand '3' as a different force altogether.
Nots kick off their first leg of dates in support of '3' this weekend in Knoxville. From there they make their way through Chicago and back down the east coast including dates in NYC, Philadelphia, DC and more. Check below for a full list of dates.
06/01: Knoxville, TN - Knoxville Punk Rock Flea Market
06/02: Cincinnati, OH - Northside Yacht Club
06/04: Chicago, IL - Subterranean
06/05: Detroit, MI - UFO Factory
06/06 - 06/09: Nelsonville, OH - Nelsonville Music Factory
06/08: Brooklyn, NY - Alphaville
06/10: Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
06/11: Washington, D.C. - Songbyrd
06/12: Durham, NC - The Pinhook
No comments:
Post a Comment