Usman's Staff Pick: May 25, 2023

Hello and thanks for reading. I’ve been out sick from work this week, unfortunately. I am here today though to write about this (also) sick record from LANGUID. However, before I begin, I wanted to mention this killer new shit that I can’t get enough of. While it’s just a Bandcamp link for now, I know that it will eventually be released on Adult Crash. This is some of that real deal Tottis-worship, from none other than Uppsala, Sweden! The vocalist, Martin, booked SCARECROW in Uppsala on our European tour. (Hi Martin!!) It makes me feel super cool to know someone in the band across the ocean, especially cos I like it so much, haha. I can’t wait for the record. Until then I will be frequently visiting their Bandcamp site. So, LANGUID first came on my radar with their debut 7”. Their sound very quickly caught my ears. The most obvious influence I pick up on here is DISCHANGE. When a band like this is your primary inspiration, I think you gotta be super creative. Since almost all the songs are slow, the riffs must be very catchy, and the D-beat MUST groove. If you can’t achieve both, the record is going to sound sterile and just drag on. This pulled-back DISCHARGE style has been done countless times, but every now and again a band executes the sound with perfection, like LANGUID has done here. I feel like the DISCHANGE formula is unique, and so influential, because despite the songs being groovy and catchy, the riffs are still heavy and mean. Soon after DISCHANGE changed (haha) over to MEANWHILE they developed a more “rocked out” style compared to the heavy edge that DISCHANGE carried. Don’t get me wrong, they have plenty of songs that still have that heavy sound (including every single track on this amazing 2005 EP), I just feel like they leaned more into other aspects of the songwriting as time went on. Their 1995 masterpiece Remaining Right Silence is before I notice this change, however. Alright, LANGUID. It’s cool Desolate has decided to get this LP back in print. I remember trying to find a copy soon after it was released was no easy task. It was released only by the band in Canada. This Desolate release includes a bonus 7” which features their 2017 demo, remastered at Communichaos. I had never heard these recordings before. All these songs are re-recorded on the LP I think, but it’s always cool to get to hear their original take on the songs. Aside from the excellent songwriting on these releases, LANGUID’s artwork has always gotten my attention. The illustrations are simple yet mean. Just like the music, haha. They always gave me a Scandinavian Jawbreaker kind of vibe, but it doesn’t come off quite as cheesy. Naturally, I was excited to see this Desolate release came with a poser of the front cover! Alright, I think that’s all I got left in me this week. Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone for the support. Peace!


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