Local surf/punk/grunge mainstays The Milkstains celebrated their 10th anniversary this past weekend with a WRIR-sponsored party at Strange Matter on Saturday night. That same day, they also surprised and delighted their fans with the appearance of a brand new EP, Gored, Kicked, Beaten.
Local surf/punk/grunge mainstays The Milkstains celebrated their 10th anniversary this past weekend with a WRIR-sponsored party at Strange Matter on Saturday night. That same day, they also surprised and delighted their fans with the appearance of a brand new EP, Gored, Kicked, Beaten. The EP appeared on Bandcamp Saturday, and also received a physical release in the form of CDs and tapes from prolific RVA label Bad Grrrl Records.
As usual with The Milkstains, the three songs found on the EP showcase the band’s wide stylistic range. Things start off slow and ballady with “Harold’s Lament,” a twangy, foreboding term that could have been a slow song on an early Cramps record if it weren’t for John Sizemore’s Butthole Surfers/Meat Puppets high, crooning Southern drawl. “Australia” kicks things up several notches with a rockin’ rager that could fit right in on a Mudhoney album, especially once they crank the distortion at the end. Then “Hard Drive” splits the difference between the other two tracks, incorporating chunky riffs with catchy guitar and vocal melodies. The whole EP has a rough, bass-heavy sound that isn’t quite lo-fi but definitely doesn’t have that 21st century digital clarity, either. For some bands, this might be a problem, but for the Milkstains, it’s a selling point, as it just makes them sound even more like some long-lost 60s garage legends.
You can order your own copy of Gored, Kicked, Beaten for $4 on CD or tape from Bad Grrrl Records by clicking HERE. It’s also available as a name-your-price download from The Milkstains’ Bandcamp page, and you can stream the whole thing below.
