2ND
Directly in the Path of Organized Ignorance
As soon as the record opens, with its dissonant guitar feedback, memories of college-radio days began to flood back when noisy bands such as the Jesus & Mary Chain, Hüsker Dü, and especially Dinosaur Jr. blew up the airwaves. It was at a time when the left side of the dial was only for the brave to venture into. 2ND delivers a different kind of retro rush, an ’80s revival of the underground kind.
Vocalist/guitarist Jason Morse doesn’t have a pretty voice. For the most part he sounds mad but this is no pathetic emo whining; this is angst from somebody who’s had too much to drink and is frustrated with life. He doesn’t scream; he roars. Yes, there is a difference. From beginning to end, Morse and his drummer Dave Foreman (there’s nobody else in the band) let it rip, producing an intoxicating (and probably intoxicated) noise that’ll bust speakers around the house.
“Never Ever” and “The Calling” have slashing, piercing riffs that are captured in bruising black-and-white by the indie production. There’s no coating or smoothing out of the grooves here. However, like the Seattle grunge acts of over a decade ago, 2ND manage to balance their racket with finger-snapping hooks, resulting in surprisingly catchy songs such as “Got a Girl” and “Symptoms.”
