Emerging from their Detroit warehouse, Protomartyr's Joe Casey, Greg Ahee, Alex Leonard and Scott Davidson return with a streaming listen to their upcoming album, Under Color of Official Right from Hardly Art. Following up 2012’s No Passion All Technique, Official Right was born in Benton Harbor, MI at Key Club Recording Studio under the auspices and know-how of, Bill Skibbe and Jessica Ruffins over the course of one weekend. The result is an oblivion of that great never after that unites today's most exciting movements and rising communities in a sound that gathers Protmartyr and all under one banner of an official and independent order.
“Maidenhead” begins with a dazed dream swirl of sound, as “Ain't So Simple” brings a bouncy math-garage equation to send you into the sonics of “Want Remover”. “Trust Me Billy” chills under the alternative rock umbrella, taking you by force of the catchy chord hooks on, “Pagans”. Things get weird and Yellow Wallpaper-ish on “What The Wall Said”, that spells out a reclusive claustrophobia with the smartest slacker licks that makes this kind of song construction seem almost easy. Protomartyr gets on their own manic-street preaching stump with, “Tarpeian Rock”, before lending some, “Bad Advice” in an advisory to make better decisions.
Spitting more wisdom as quick as Joe Casey can sing 'em on “Son of Dis”; creatures of the underground raise up from the asphalt on, “Scum, Rise!”, before appealing to the hearts of all listening ears with the infectious idleness of, “I Stare At Floors”. “Come & See” begins to close out the the album with bad news headlines about everything, before raising the song's finish to epic proportions to see the good in everything. And the indie rock monster ballads keeping coming with, “Violent”, before closing up shop and taking you into the “nothing ever after” on, “I'll Take That Applause”.
Listen to Protomartyr's new album, Under Color Of Official Right via NPR.
Protomartyr's Under Color of Official Right, will be available April 8 from Hardly Art.
