Dearthworms – ‘Sapsucker’ album review: weird rock from the Steel City
THE SKINNY: The environment of weird rock music has never been so healthy. The world over, strange and dissonant takes on guitar music are capturing the imaginations of droves of listeners, thrusting them into parallel universes. On their debut, Sapsucker, Sheffield‘s Dearthworms delve into this area headfirst and plant their flag firm in the off-coloured soil. A diverse and entertaining batch of songs, it’s a solid debut from the Steel City supergroup.
A collection of nine varied tracks, Sapsucker is comprised of stirring Yorkshire dialect, surreal tales extracted from the eerie side of mundanity à la David Lynch’s liminal ways, swirling guitars, menacing synths, and a touch of that black humour native to ‘God’s Own Country’. While the band certainly has a few discernible influences, there’s no doubt that the record is inventive and entertaining, with surprises around every corner.
A multifarious opus that unfolds with each listen, it might take a second for it to hit, but when it does, you willingly give into the bizarro world of Dearthworms and their perception of the contemporary condition. In one part, melodic and deeply fulfilling, and in another, off-kilter and immensely challenging, the group makes the listener do the work. In an era known for its instant gratification, this complex aspect should garner much respect.
If David Firth, Protomartyr and David Lynch started a band, it would probably sound a lot like Sapsucker, as mad as that may be. Creating such an oddity is a striking move for a debut. Such boldness might not quite astound on this occasion, but it certainly promises that with a touch more refinement, bright things lie ahead for Deathworms.
For fans of: Sightseers, Richard Dawson and sweaty gigs at the Leadmill.
A concluding comment from my grandmother: “Ducky, this is just noise. I can’t make heads or tails of what they’re on about.”
Sapsucker track by track:
Release Date: July 26th | Producer: Lyndon Hobson | Label: Redundant Span Records
‘Waste of Skin’: An immediately arresting opener, kicking off with atmospheric synths and textures, the tension builds before a motorik beat slices through the air and drags you into this strange otherworld. [4/5]
‘Strike Low’: Another energetic number that bounces between unsettling agitation and melodic bliss, you might say that this is what Dearthworms are all about. The dual vocals of Nick Potter and Juni Rothwell work a treat. [3.5/5]
‘Blessed Child’: Like its predecessors, the third stop is a touch psychedelic. Putting a dark spin on the genre and mixing it with indie and flecks of post-punk, the off-kilter call and response between the guitars was a sharp artistic stroke. [3.5/5]
‘The Worm Swallows The Dirt’: Perhaps one of the stranger musical palettes on the record, with creeping, reverb-laden guitars offset by expansive chords high up the neck, it features a really catchy, delay-soaked riff that drives itself deeply into the brain. [4/5]
‘Rorthide’: A more direct number than what came before it on Sapsucker, the dovetailing guitars are particularly compelling on this stop as they envelop each other for instants of pure harmony and to counterbalance them, heavily outlandish ones that speak to the group’s desire to confound. [4/5]
‘Boys In The Wood’: Utterly sinister. Rothwell takes the lead on this one, filling the space left by a slow beat and cinematic guitars. It later sheds its cape and becomes one of the more furious tracks on the record, with Rothwell commanding on top of the dystopian, robotic beat and churning six strings. [3.5/5]
‘Landsknecht’s Message’: Quite possibly the best song on the album. Energetic but always threatening to veer head first off the rails, it also has a masterful chorus that expertly toes the line between poppy potency and utter weirdness. The bass is especially animated here. [4/5]
‘No Surprises’: A total groove, with what is arguably the best riff on the record, that brings to mind the feverish fire of The Vines’ Craig Nicholls at his peak, you have your head bobbing from start to finish. Bet it goes off live. [4/5]
‘Warlock Of Change’: A slow-builder of a finale, the expressive strums and oscillating dynamics prick attention as Potter weaves his last weird tale on top of them. It eventually erupts into a disco-like beat, with clangorous guitars fit for stadiums that, in true form, burst into total rock oddity for the closing segment, with clangourous noise supplementing them. [3.5/5]
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