EP Review – Visceral Garden by Nostranders (2022) (Self released)
With releases by Teenage Tom Petties, Healees, The Sylvia Platters, Panda Riot and The Photocopies, June 2022 has been a superb month for all those that desire their jangle-pop nuanced dragged through the left field. As if to complete the alt. jangle spectrum for the month, New Yorks Nostranders chip in with this brilliant jangle-punk EP.
With the obvious ability and propensity to spit and snarl with crashing punk incessance, this Visceral Garden EP commences with a Homoerotic Dementia track that seems to take the dark benevolence and tinny modern day post-punk of the DIIV aesthetic and adds Jaded Juice Raiders style tinny jangled riffs and Ryan Allen and his Extra Arms jangle-punk mayhem. Also joined in attitude, albeit with slight cushioning to the abrasion, is the superlative Manic Episode.
However, the best of the release is represented by Down Bad, The Thing and Say Ur Sry. Here the mayhem is reduced to a mere telling background, rather than a dominant force, enabling the more sprightly and lucid jangle-punk riffs that are reminiscent of the Vundabar / Surf Curse vibe to attach themselves to the emotionality of the shout in the dark vocals.
For a debut release this is truly accomplished and shows all the potential in the world !!!