Cruddy
Negative World (12XU)
Reviewed by Austin Powell, Fri., Dec. 2, 2011
Cruddy
Negative World (12XU)"There's nothing left – there's nothing," rants guitarist Drew Schmitz in closer "History's Remains," with a compelling mix of horror, intrigue, and disgust. Cruddy, a local trio featuring members of Total Abuse and Serious Tracers, thrives in this nihilistic realm. Following a 7-inch and Casual Victim Pile II contribution, the band's debut LP, Negative World, comes produced by the Young's Hans Zimmerman, pressed by Matador Records co-founder Gerard Cosloy's revived 12XU imprint, and packs 14 terror alerts into mostly minutelong manifestos. The post-punk grime of "Slow News Day" and the title track call for riot gear early, pushed by drummer Alison Goodman's big beat and echoed vocals. The seesawing "Moment of Fear" and gripping, No Wave velocity of "Deconstruction Workers" fuel the fire, while "Burn It Down" flees the scene with Big Black's kerosene in hand. Negative World makes the most of a dire situation, a dystopian soundtrack for the militarization of our police forces.
