3 out of 5

Label: Violent Hippy Records

Produced by: Chris Common

Annie Hozoji Matheson-Margullis is in both of these bands! You are interested!

The Helms Alee track is solid; it’s definitely a lead-in to the more structured, paced style that would emerge on Sleepwalking Sailors, while also serving as a good summary of the HA sound: heavy low-end; swaggering beat; dueling vocals with Ben Verellen’s throaty howl adding punctuation… It lacks a really standout hook or moment that feels really definitive, hence the ‘summary’ comment. Not a required HA track, and admittedly one I’d probably have trouble placing if I heard it at random (though the distorted intro is a kind of giveaway).

The Tacos! track is fun, though also not especially noteworthy. Paired with HA, there’s a similar patient stomp to it, though Tacos! is more of the Big Business stomp and shout variety, erring towards heft where Helms will have melody. Donovan Stewart’s gravelly shout isn’t as distinctive as Verellen’s version, but it gives the tune a kind of old-school Motorhead vibe that seems fitting.

The recording / mastering on this is kind of a bummer: it’s pretty quiet. I also can’t say if the clipping I experience on the A-side is purposeful or on every copy, but that may be part of what keeps the track from really standing out to me, that I can’t hear it without those blips.