You know, we hate to be the ones to point it out, but it seems like when things really, really go to shit on a larger scale, the resulting sound, for better or worse, tends to be pretty great. There must be some kind of parallel in the physics of our ancient fascination with dropping things from high places. Luckily, we’re too busy enjoying Joy Coughs from VILE BEES.
The Milwaukee, Wisconsin based trio takes the crazed, barely-stable post-hardcore of bands like Exotic Animal Petting Zoo or Refused and turns that already potent mixture on it’s head with cues from 90’s stalwarts like Tekulvi, Slint and Hüsker Dü.
In short, it’s right on the money for most of our readers. Clear your head with Joy Coughs below:
There’s a very unique brand of humor on display here, almost like a stoner or psych band. But at times it’s also supremely tense, with songs like “No Blues,” “Shapes,” and “Use Yr Illusion” resonating to pieces like Metz and Viagara Boys robbing a liquor store together. A dank, resin-dark veneer overtakes the album’s back half, but VILE BEES embraces the mania, and it suits their sound well.
Formed in 2015 after the dissolution of Like Like the the the Death, Vile Bees—Michael Marchant (guitar, vocals), Kyle Scheuer (bass, vocals), and Dan Hanke (drums)—have spent years refining their sound, cutting their teeth in the Midwest’s DIY circuit. Their 2018 debut EP, ‘Come Here Young Man,’ introduced a lo-fi immediacy, while 2021’s ‘Dark Age Dad’ marked an evolution in both songwriting and production. But the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the band into a 15-month hiatus, leaving Dark Age Dad largely unheard. Rather than let stagnation set in, Michael Marchant immersed himself in home recording, teaching himself the ropes of engineering while stockpiling demos in his basement. “I bought a laptop, a few microphones, and a recording interface and started writing with the intention of having something to work on once we could be in the same room again,” he recalls. The result? A raw, unfiltered collection of songs that would later take shape as ‘Joy Coughs’—a record as urgent as it is personal.
With ‘Joy Coughs,’ Vile Bees embrace the full weight of their experiences, delivering their most refined yet visceral collection of songs to date. “This album has a running theme of intergenerational trauma, loss, and empathy,” says Michael. “Witnessing parental drug and alcohol addiction through the eyes of a child. Being freaked out by the people who are supposed to keep you safe. Becoming a parent to your parents.” Despite the heavy subject matter, Michael insists the songs remain accessible: “I think I managed to avoid making them too dour or unapproachable. Some are even funny, and I’m very proud of that.”
Nope, not triggering in any way, shape, or form, uh… um… what were we saying…
Anyway, Joy Coughs was “recorded with Shane Hochstetler at Howl Street Recordings, and marks the first Vile Bees release under the banner of Seismic Wave Entertainment, owned and operated by Conan Neutron,” and that’s…
*stares out the window for twenty minutes*
*remembers we exist*
What?
… and that’s a great match.
(JK LOL – no it is a great match, we’re just not catatonic. Joy Coughs was a wild ride though, and probably will be for a lot of millennial / gen x readers. But thanks for reading! Don’t forget to check out more Vile Bees on Bandcamp here. If you’re looking for more music, check out our Bandcamp compilations here. If you like us, or possibly even love us, donations are always appreciated at the Buy Me A Coffee page here, but if you’re in a generous mood you can also donate to folks like Doctors Without Borders, the PCRF, Charity Water, Kindness Ranch, One Tail at A Time, Canopy Cat Rescue, or Best Friends Animal Sanctuary that could probably use it more – click on their names above to check ‘em out if you’re so inclined. Thanks again!)