If Austin’s annual South by Southwest music, film and interactive showcase is the bellwether of all things new and cool, then Screaming Females could absolutely be contenders for the newest, coolest band on the scene - having drawn some of the festival’s biggest crowds and hype over the past few weeks. The problem is, they aren’t new at all.
Six records and nine years into a career as perennial punk-underdogs, the three-piece of Marissa Paternoster (guitar/vocals), Jarrett Dougherty (drums) and King Mike (Bass) have tended towards critical if not popular success with their dedication to the fast and loud. While 2012’s Ugly garnered significant acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork and A.V. Club, the release of the band’s newest effort, Rose Mountain could (and should) be the record that pushes them into a fairer share of the limelight.
Featuring sizeable riff-work that could very well inflict facial injuries (if not take your face clean off) and a rhythm section with a military-like precision, Rose Mountain is a true powerhouse of a record. Simpler in tone and delivery than Ugly, it has a clarity of purpose that’s catching. From the chunky choruses and McCready-like solos of ‘Empty Head’ to the Pumpkins-styled intro to the magnificent ‘Triumph’, there’s a familiarity in these songs for those of a certain grunge persuasion that can’t help but get the feet tapping and head nodding. It might be more flannel than plaid, but damn it’s cool.
