The title of Slothrust's debut full-length reminds one of the classic Dinosaur Jr. song "Feel the Pain". Much like Dinosaur Jr., Slothrust puts an emphasis on big guitar licks with bluesy undertones and grungy rhythms. The Brooklyn trio consists of guitarist/vocalist Leah Wellbaum, bassist Kyle Bann, and drummer Will Gorin. Leah sounds like she may have spent some time listening to tragically overlooked 90's rockers Kicking Giant. Said band were known for melding whirling guitars with provocative lyrics and that is exactly what she does with the one-two punch of "The Couch Incident" and "In a Sexual Way". However, after that song, the pace is slowed down with the early morning blues boogie of "7:30 am". It is a great example of how Slothrust doesn't stay in one place for too long.
The members met while studying studying jazz and blues at Sarah Lawrence College and they take their time to show their expertise on the album's second half. Songs like "Incompetent", "No Eye Candy", and "Bobby & Whitney" are littered with jazzy guitar licks and bluesy breakdowns. The production was handled at Mad Oak Studios in Allston, Massachusetts by J. Saliba, who does an excellent job of keeping everything raw and heavy. It helps carry the weight of the beefier compositions like "Enter, Rejoice, and Come In", a song that belts the listener with howling guitars and impassioned cries. It shows their ability to successfully approach traditional genres with modern flair, which makes them one of the more exciting new bands. They are currently on the road and you can check out their tour blog for dates.
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