Elephant Rifle – Broken Water (Color)

From Reno, Nevada, Elephant Rifle’s freak flag-waving brand of Western noise rock falls in a crack between the most jagged crags of ’90s noise-rock, ’80s hardcore, and ’70s classic rock. A 2011 review from The AV Club stated: “Amid strangled guitars and amputated rhythms, the group unleashes all manner of demons, psychic and sonic. But its done with an underdog abandon and sordid sense of humor.” New album Broken Water is the prolific band’s ninth release since 2010. First single “The New Wimpkiller” has frontman Brad Bynum howling with a quavering twang that calls to mind Jello Biafra, or maybe Al Johnson of U.S. Maple, while the band drives forward with burliness of a Melvins/Jesus Lizard jam session and the quirks of guys raised on Trout Mask Replica and Grateful Dead bootlegs. Genre: Noise Rock, Grunge, Psychedelic, Art-damage, Post Punk RIYL – Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Dead Rider/US Maple