Cassette Review // Exsanguinated Roommate "Lurking" (Cruel Nature Records)

                                         

https://cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/lurking

In my mind and in my notes I always just think of this as being called "ExRoommate" because it's shorter and I didn't know what "Exsanguinated" meant until I looked it up.  It is, basically, the act of losing so much blood that you die, which puts a whole new spin on this album just based on the name alone.  This could be death metal and people might not get it if they're like me and "Exsanguinated" isn't in their vocabulary.

But the sound of Exsanguinated Roommate is one of rock n roll.  At times this reminds me of Flaming Lips, mainly in that "Fight Test" era, but synths come in and it takes me to other places.  "In The Apiary" as this big percussion and dreamy strums with a nice guitar solo.   The melodies can come through like the song "Lady Picture Show", which is just such a fun and specific era of Stone Temple Pilots.  

As the lyrics are about the Austin Fairgrounds, I also hear a slight bit of Simon & Garfunkel in here, as it has that very small bit of folk.  Big synths come through on "Coke Receipt" and it feels a bit like new wave or pop rock.  It could just as easily fit in wit h Neon Trees as it could A Flock of Seagulls.  "Dripping Maestro" becomes more spatial and I can hear Porno For Pyros in here, which is a band I feel like isn't being referenced enough in modern times.  

On the flip side we start with nice drums and it's just dreamy and trippy at the same time.  At times it can kick in to heavy distortion but that melody remains.  "Does The Present Leave Us Nowhere?" is a song that is heavy rocking at times but also reminds me of Oasis.  After a musical interlude which included a flute we're back into the rock which also makes me think of Trail of Dead.  It's just this specific time in the late 1990's when we're getting out of grunge and into finding a new sound of rock music.

"Prints" has nice acoustic sounding rhythms but we go into that big distortion again before the end.    The final song is an acoustic version of "Coke Receipt" and it has strong classic rock leanings, which are nice to hear and go out on.   But overall there is just this sound of rock that often times seems to be forgotten but Exsanguinated Roommate is keeping it alive with this cassette.