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The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard: for those about to rack.
★★★★
Rack
IPECAC. CD/DL/LP
Chicago grunge-era nearly-giants’ first outing in 26 years.
WHEN TJL released a split 45 with Nirvana in early 1993, it raised the delicious prospect of the post-hardcore era’s most muscular and unhinged band rampaging into the mainstream. Two albums with Capitol sadly came too late and led only to corporate impasse, but following 2009’s ‘re-enactment’ shows, here, finally, is this fabulous, full-blooded seventh LP. Aficionados will be punching the air within the first minute of opener Hide & Seek: it’s all there, the fierce interlocking of battering rhythm section Mac McNeilly (drums) and David Wm. Sims (bass) and a runaway-locomotive riff from ace guitarist Duane Denison, with Texan frontman David Yow shrieking maniacally about being dragged alon g “some 60 miles of street”, leaving “a dark cherry trail”. The rest of Rack delivers psychotic straight-for-the-jugular punk, right up there with 1991’s altclassic Goat, with two moody left-turns (see borderline-exotica What If?) which only compound the air of menace.