
blaremagazine.com
John Barrett is a one man army. Writing and recording as Bass Drum Of Death, Barrett’s sound channels the familiar garage-fuzz sound that plenty of bands glean in an attempt to head south by route of south west. Truthfully, these “garage” bands baffle me. They’re formulaic but somehow captivating, because they’re unwilling to learn new tricks. Thankfully, BDOD plays like you paid to get in, and that’s refreshing.
Bass Drum Of Death picks up where 2011’s GB City trailed off. It ratchets up the distortion, but kicks out a sand and sun vibe you might not expect. Sure, Mississippi might have a few gulf beaches, but who wants to see them? The energy is urgent but doesn’t feel forced. The tempo of “Shattered Me” is infectious, while “White Fright” would make Jack and Meg proud. I get the feeling Barrett’s middle finger is aimed mostly at the sky, amidst balancing a four-footer and a television remote.
Bare bones as it gets for a guitar and few drums, BDOD manages to fill you up. Their self-titled 2013 release is on iTunes or likely in the racks of your local shop. It’s built for summer spins, bottle and bong not included. Go spend a few dollars, you cheap fucks.