MINNEAPOLIS KEEPS COMING: SEAWHORES

Where to start? Minneapolis based Seawhores is a dauntingly prolific band who have been blowing out speakers for over ten years. Held together by core members Adam Marx and Cody Weigel, Seawhores has featured a rotating, collaborative line-up, including Dale Crover, Brian Chippendale, Jeff Mooridian, Shawn Walker, and Jesse Bottomley (to name only a few). It's an impressive project to say the least. Unfortunately, I've never seen Seawhores live, but I've coveted every record, single and split that they've released. Their contributions to A Butcher's Waltz (2012 Learning Curve) are some of the most brutally tight noise tracks that I've heard in a long time. The songs also tantalize you with a few unexpected twists that gesture toward what their live sets are like (or so I've heard).

Seawhores just released a few new gems, The Hunt is On (2013 AmRep), a B-side continuation with some delicious splatter, as well as a track on Learning Curve's Held Hostage compilation. Keeping up? It's difficult, I know, but they are well worth it. Seawhores have found a way to incorporate all of the wonderful blisters of 90's noise rock with a sense of humor, and, dare I say, fun. Yeah, I do. It's refreshing to listen to a band, be blown away by them, and then to read interviews, talk to other folks, and watch stuff like this, realizing that they thoroughly enjoy making records and exploring possibilities. These aren't cookie cutter, 3 minute songs (hell, check out Opus). It's addictive in its relentless probing and development. We're excited as hell to have Seawhores play Total Fest this year, and I, for one, am more than happy to continue typing and saying "Seawhores."