Some of you lot may remember our own Nathan Bean reviewing the previous joint from Heavy Pockets, Mopeless last year. For those of you that can’t remember or that won’t be arsed to click the link, Heavy Pockets are from New Hampshire, and are a female fronted trio playing, as Nathan put it: “spiky fuzzed out indie punk rock. Like wot they made in the 90’s.” Sadly, Pure Evil is the third and final Heavy Pockets LP, however, label dude Mike Bruno assures us that this is “their best batch of songs to date”. Even so, it saddens me to hear that this band is calling it quits – as it’s another entry in the list of bands I’ll never ever get to see (le sigh). Although that list would probably be much shorter if I’d dedicated less of my sorry existence moping around the house feeling sorry for myself. I shall therefore consider myself suitably chastised.
Shayla Riggs’ bittersweet vocal does naught but melt my heart of stone and remind me of my own social awkwardness and the existential heartbreak experienced in quiet introspective moments of listening to my walkman and mooning about over the female indie rock singers (a.k.a. dream dates) of yore. Oh, wherefore art thou, Kathleen Hanna? Wherefore art though Julianna Hatfield? Although this is an excruciatingly embarrassing admission for me, it does kind of shed light on my wider pedigree as a listener. It’s also an ample opportunity for me to declare that “I care not what your opinion of me is, or how this statement flavour said opinion. Good day to you, sir. Good day!”. Or some shit.
Before we become utterly bogged down in 1990s acne ridden nostalgia or anybody starts to think “this is sure to be well retro”, let me tell you this. This band right here would stand perfectly well alongside other bands of today (or indeed betwixt then and now) that tend to plumb the depths of 90s indie rock nostalgia. If your fancy is tickled by current (or recent) US bands such as the likes of Dog Party, Ogikubo Station, Vivian Girls, Cayetana and Retirement Party for example, or by UK acts like Doe, Cheerbleederz and so on, then you should be praising whichever mythical deity pleases you, for Heavy Pockets’ Pure Evil (not to mention their previous work) is going to become a much loved (if posthumous) addition to your listening repertoire, for it certainly is very special. Tony of Nurgle rating 9/10.
Get listening below on the bandcamp player, and thank me later:
This LP is limited to 200 copies, featuring hand-glued jackets and a 16 page zine written by singer, Shayla Riggs. The LP also comes w/ download code, and there is a cassette release on the cards at some point too. Get it from Dead Broke Rekerds. Note also that the entire Heavy Pockets back catalogue is also available on a pay what you want basis from their bandcamp page
