by transBlender
PRE are a band from the U.K. I’ve admired for a while. It is a treat to have a lead singer like KEEX, who is easily one of the most energetic performers alive, front a band that gladly matches her voice and spirit. Two bass guitars jackknife their take on punk songs, making even the most basic melody sound sinister. The rhythm section is two thirds of the Sub Pop trio MALE BONDING, until their most recent tour in 2009 when PRE was backed by all of Male Bonding. It is not relevant to compare the two bands, because besides a tendency to have fast rhythm changes, they do not sound alike.
The first five songs of the new PRE album are old to them but new to us, as they are outtakes from the “Hope Freaks” sessions PRE recorded with Steve Albini in Chicago. I can see why they didn’t make it on the album, as they sound like transition songs between recording their first album “Epic Fits” and “Hope Freaks”. They are still solid and pretty ass ripping courtesy of Steve Albini’s loud ass-assisting. Only the cd version of “Third Album” comes with eight extra songs, which are rare recordings and other loose ends that pale in comparison to the first five songs, but are more jammable than crap like The Decemberists anyday. PRE is the opposite of that. “White Castle” and “Big Dique” are favorites. Foreva.
Third Album is out now on skin graft records.