TRACTOR SEX FATALITY? What kind of band name is that? Well, listening to this record I can understand why they would call themselves that. After all, the name THE JESUS LIZARD was already taken. Because judging from this release that's who they would really like to be. The good thing about this record is that it sounds very 'live'. Just crank up the volume real high and close your eyes, one can almost imagine them playing right before you. In my case that brings back a lot of memories. Back in the 80's just about every American underground band played here where I live. THE LAUGHING HYENAS, KILLDOZER, THE COWS, you name ‘em, I very probably saw ‘em.

That's also kind of the problem I have with this record. TSF are certainly loud but for the most part of this record that's basically all they are. Which is OK for a couple of spins, but eventually I want to hear something that's just a little bit more than the musical equivalent of getting your skull bashed in. So it's no surprise that the strongest bits on the album are the relatively subdued ones. Like the semi-jazz noise of "Dance The Damage" and "The Woodsman" (here singer Rob even shows he can do something else besides maniacal howling) and the plodding KILLDOZER-eque blues thud of "Stain". The best track however is a pumped up rendition of SCRATCH ACID's "Cannibal". Basically what we have here is a very basic in-your-face noise record, its only minor flaw is (according to this old fart) the fact that it's all been done before, and slightly better IMO. However, from what I've heard TSF are simultaneously releasing another full length called "Black Magic, White Pussy" that features them as a six-piece and supposedly even has horns and stuff so I guess it's too early to dismiss them as ‘just' another noise band. After all, even the mighty HÜSKER DÜ's first full length was just 26 minutes of mindless noise.

- Van Hoften

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/tractorsexfatality

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