RVA’s been enjoying the hybrid surf/garage/grunge/punk sounds of wild-eyed local trio The Milkstains for quite a while now–the band actually celebrated their 10th anniversary earlier this year. However, local diehard fans (of which the band has quite a few) have had to content themselves with semi-frequent live performances and the occasional, too-infrequent EP–until now.
RVA’s been enjoying the hybrid surf/garage/grunge/punk sounds of wild-eyed local trio The Milkstains for quite a while now–the band actually celebrated their 10th anniversary earlier this year. However, local diehard fans (of which the band has quite a few) have had to content themselves with semi-frequent live performances and the occasional, too-infrequent EP–until now. The Milkstains have finally completed their debut album, Broken Bones, and it will be released this September, in time for the band’s Fall Line Fest performance. It’s no surprise to hear it’ll be out on cassette and CD from Bad Grrrl Records, either–just as Vinyl Conflict Records is the label of choice for RVA hardcore, Bad Grrrl has become the label of choice for bands that walk the line between punk and more straightforward rock sounds. The Milkstains have a sound that would have been right at home on Sub Pop or SST in 1989, and this makes Bad Grrrl the perfect label to release an album by them in 2014.
So about that album–how’s it sound? Well, we don’t know the whole story yet, but the band has made one song available right away, and “Let Us Down” is an excellent statement of purpose for a band with a pretty wide-ranging sound over the course of its discography. Heavy garage-style riffing makes up the song’s foundation, with some powerful drumming by Raphael Katchinoff (also of The Southern Belles) backing it up. Then there are the distinctive elements that truly make this a Milkstains song, from the surf-twang guitar solo (featuring guest pedal steel by John Thompson) to John Sizemore’s country/punk hybrid vocalizations. He reminds me of no one as much as the Meat Puppets’ Curt Kirkwood on this track, and though this ain’t quite “Lake Of Fire” where lyrical doom and gloom is concerned, the frustrated done-me-wrong lyrics are something a lot of listeners are gonna be able to relate to.
You can preorder your very own copy of The Milkstains’ Broken Bones as an mp3 release from their Bandcamp site right now, and when you do, you’ll get an immediate download of “Let Us Down” for your listening pleasure. If you’re holding out for a physical format, we’re not sure if there’ll be preorders on that, but you can always keep an eye on Bad Grrrl Records’ online store, where, if nothing else, you can always grab the last Milkstains EP, Gored Kicked Beaten, if you don’t have it already. (We also recommend the recent releases from Heavy Midgets and Tungs. Just sayin.) And of course, The Milkstains should have copies at their Fall Line Fest show, so go to that! Details and tickets for Fall Line Fest can be found at 2014.falllinefest.com.
