“Re-animation” could very well be a lost track from some Midwestern punks of yore, or maybe the country-tinged song is just timeless. There’s also an unmistakably nostalgic sound that comes through, perhaps due to the 8-track recording. Synth lines set the vibe for most of the songs here, from the spooky tension of the opening track to the waves of sound undulating in the background of “Weird World.” “More Brains” and “Wasted Days” are some of the faster, more straight punk offerings-their high energy is irresistible. A Year of Mutations brings together more than a year’s worth of limited-release EPs, and though the basement-recorded tracks have been remastered, a lo-fi sensibility remains. This Iowa four-piece is one of the latest to master the blend of horror-punk, sci-fi electro, and garage glam that’s currently all the rage. The lyrics give a sense of this band’s multitudes, wanting to be everything from a computer to a dildo to Bernie Sanders.
Closer “I Wanna Be” is by far the strangest, with a repetitive meow keeping time with a thumping 2000s club beat. “Go Away” and “Bugs” both have a laid-back grunge-pop vibe, with spoken word vocals and phasery guitar the sound is of a kind with D.C.’s Knife Wife. As Joni Mitchell once sang, 'you dont know what. Opener “Pluck Me” layers vocals, wobbly guitar, and propulsive drumming. COMMENT This feature was originally published on September 9, 2009. Their style harkens back to The Slits or Awesomes (who sometimes performed with black tape over their nipples and provided squirt guns filled with fake blood to the audience), while their sound is playful, experimental post-punk. Two members have worked as models, as evinced by the record cover-a collage of the bandmates posing in high fashion lingerie-made by guitarist Veronika Vilim. With heavy metals resurgence really the major headline of the 2000s (though the 90s were a sleeping giant period littered with AMA. With a band name that conjures uncouth AIM screen names, cumgirl8 are up-front about the power of both sexuality and visual imagery. Pre-order buy pre-order buy you own this wishlist in wishlist go to album go to track go to album go to track