F-Minus
Wake Up Screaming
Hellcat
It’s not necessarily a good sign when a sticker on the cover boasts who produced the album, but at least it goes to show how well-respected Steve Albini is among fans and the industry alike. As always, he has managed to bring out the primal energy of the band he’s producing, turning Wake Up Screaming into F-Minus’ finest album yet: a brutal half-hour of slaying street-punk delivered with spitting hardcore aggression. The dueling male/female vocals, both screaming their ass off, work brilliantly, setting F-Minus apart from their peers, as well as adding vocal depth to what would otherwise have been a far more one-dimensional affair. F-Minus play with ramshackle tightness, and retain a live feel on the album by avoiding endless re-takes and doctoring. Subtle it’s not. While it doesn’t bring anything new to punk, Wake Up Screaming is an abrasive, exhausting album that demands your attention. Draining stuff.
Hellcat Records: http://www.hell-cat.com/
