The Future Sound of Sterling
Bitter River captures the chaotic and serene sound of a disorienting yet satisfying sonic transition. Born from the ashes of pg. 99 Pygmy Lush's debut "Bitter River" occasionally sounds like an homage to the past, the urgency of The Jesus Lizard and Nirvana. Tracks like 'Foul Mouth Mother' and 'Slave to a Teenager' present themselves as lost gems of that spirit, but the album's departure from the sonic language of punk rock secures its place in Sterling VA music history as a Swordfish Trombone of sorts. "Big Black River", "Throw the Jockey" and both versions of "Hurt Everything" breakdown the passion and immediacy of the band members early projects into elegant acoustic compositions that threaten musical convention as much as a wall of feedback. And speaking of walls of feedback the epic opus "September Song" stands like a 25 page dear john letter to the roaring walls of noise that birthed the quiet sound that sets Pygmy Lush apart from their hometown roots.
