Cassette Review // Local H "LIFERS" (AntiFragile Music)

Sold Out //
https://localh.bandcamp.com/album/lifers //

When I first heard about Local H, I actually bought their first two albums on CD.  It wasn't that far into the dawn of compact discs though because there was a Local H cassingle one of my friends had and gave to me, which I still have even though the sleeve looks like it went through a washing machine.   To say I'm coming full circle with Local H and cassettes would be a stretch but this is the first full length by the band that I've purchased on cassette even though I've been in love with them for most of my adult life.

It's not easy for me to write about this cassette without typing about other Local H albums because I haven't really written about Local H before, even though I've spent so much time listening to them.  Up until "12 Angry Months" I can sing along with every album word for word and there have only been two albums in that time, before "Lifers", and I think the only reason why I can't sing along with "Hallelujah! I'm a Bum" and "Hey, Killer" word for word yet is because it just hasn't been enough time.

I'd like to do the whole "This is the ninth studio album from Local H..." thing- which I think it is- but the easiest way to convey that point is simply to say that there is a lot of Local H music out there and that isn't a bad thing.    Some of the albums just rock hard, like "Ham Fisted" and "Pack Up The Cats", but "Here Comes The Zoo" had some longer, slower songs on it that showed the range of Local H.   "12 Angry Months" is really a concept album but could still blow out your speakers.   This is being stated so you know there are many sides to the band Local H.

"LIFERS" is an album which just rocks from start to finish.   It hits hard and it hits fast.   There are big guitar riffs and big lyrics to sing along with.   There isn't really a way to describe this cassette without looking back at the previous releases of Local H, which is obviously what I've been doing.   You see, with an album such as "As Good As Dead" there were songs which just flat out rocked but you had slower songs as well like "No Problem".   "LIFERS" is that idea of "What if every song rocked as hard as 'Nothing Special'?"

Even "12 Angry Months" had less angry songs on it.   To be able to keep up this level of rocking, this distorted mayhem, for the entire cassette is not easy.  I always assumed that Local H didn't do it before now because as a listener you need a little quiet time, a little down time to recover in between songs.   You can't just have your face blasted off for forty minutes straight.  Granted, "Defy And Surrender" might be the break in between some of the other songs but don't think for one second Local H is letting up on any of this cassette.

Before this album was released I was listening to the song "Patrick Bateman", which is the first track here.   Songs like "High Wide And Stupid" and "Turn The Bow" have become instant classics while listening to this as well.   From start to finish, there are no songs you want to skip over and for someone who has been listening to Local H for almost as long as I've been listening to music I'm not hesitant to say that I think this is the best Local H album yet.