In recent decades, a whole lot bands have built on the cold, spacey architecture of British postpunk from the late ’70s and early ’80s. But very few of those bands have mastered the apocalyptic urgency that you hear in the best postpunk — the sense that the world was falling apart and that this collapse needed its own breakneck soundtrack. Now that the world really is falling apart, we need that bleak intensity more than ever. Fortunately, we have Primitive Teeth.
Primitive Teeth come from Chicago, and the members of the band have played in various Chicago DIY-scene groups like Violent End and Split Feet. Last year, Primitive Teeth released their self-titled debut EP. Today, they’ve followed it up with another EP that’s also self-titled. Somehow, the confusion feels appropriate.
If you’ve heard “Bubble Of Me,” the opening track from the new Primitive Teeth EP, then you already know that something special is happening here. Primitive Teeth’s take on postpunk had hardcore ferocity and garage-rock riffage and prime new-wave hooks. It’s angry and catchy and dark and fun. It’s one of the best new EPs I’ve heard lately, and 2020 is absolutely lousy with great EPs. Listen to it below.
The Primitive Teeth EP is out now on Dirt Cult Records.
