The Blind Shake

Breakfast of Failures (Goner)

The prolific Blind Shake eschews such weak-minded concepts as time off. Sixth LP Breakfast of Failures follows hot on the heels of the Minneapolis trio’s collaboration with John Reis of Rocket From the Crypt, and the band has mini LP Fly Right on deck as well. Based on the 10 chunks of bleeding meat served here, the Reis hookup makes perfect sense. Like RFTC, the Shake has a ball spewing out hooks, then beating them mercilessly to a pulp with punk rock. “Parachute” and “Young Carnival Waste” rock so relentlessly they’d exhaust the MC5. “Mildew” and “Nobody Else” adjust the settings from blast to grind, while “Go Lie” and “Dots in the Fog” emphasize melody – though only to the point where it competes with the racket rather than simply being bludgeoned. Breakfast of Failures brilliantly balances accessibility and aggression. (Fri., 1:20am, Hotel Vegas @ Volstead)

***.5

This article appears in March 20 • 2015.

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Michael Toland started writing about music in 1988 on the Gulf Coast, moved to Austin in early 1991, and has inflicted bylines upon the corporeal and digital pages of Pop Culture Press, The Big Takeover, Blurt, Amplifier, Austin.citysearch, the Austin American Statesman, Goldmine, Sleazegrinder, Rock & Roll Globe, High Bias, FHT Music Notes, and, since 2011, The Austin Chronicle.