Mike Krol’s provocative noise-pop projects will perhaps always feel niche—this Los Angeles transplant’s raw, uncensored appeal is designed to be enjoyed live, drenched in blood, sweat and tears.
But on his fourth album, ‘Power Chords’, the overall clarity of indie veteran Mike McCarthy’s production, allied with Krol’s trademark riffs, thrashing build ups and intelligently arranged melodies, gets close to encapsulating the essence of garage rock.
Krol’s sound is full and his saliva-flinging screams are unleashed like a wild exorcism from the moment you press play through to the last moment.
Left of centre with regards to current trends in music, Krol is too easily dismissed as inaccessible, but in truth his non-conformist attitude to rock is essentially timeless.
Blue and Pink is a road track: trippy, meandering nonchalantly. Daydreaming, allowing lyrics to appear poetically or just as everyday life comes, Krol refers to ‘Power Chords’ as his break up album, and it’s music that left him following the sometimes meek response to his Merge debut ‘Turkey’ four years ago.
Autobiographical, deeply honest and at times painful, the upbeat, high energy aesthetic of the music allows for Krol’s confessional to ring authentic. “You'll love me better when I am gone, I'll know forever that I was wrong about you and me,” he laments the chorus to Wasted Memory.
There are moments here that are a little too much, though. Nothing To Yell About sounds good, but at points the industrial production overwhelms the lyrics. Despite this being a well established technique for Krol, such a high octane approach can leave the listener alienated from the full experience, intimidated by the presence of unrelenting instrumental thrashing. Despite this, ‘Power Chords’ stands alone as a strong L.A.-centric, anthemic LP containing flashes of defiant brilliance.
Mike Krol Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon April 22 2019 - LONDON Social
Tue April 23 2019 - BRISTOL Crofters Rights
Wed April 24 2019 - MANCHESTER Castle Hotel
Thu April 25 2019 - GLASGOW Hug and Pint
Fri April 26 2019 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
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