Sub/Shop is an intriguing new outfit from Richmond, VA with lineup ties to an absolutely massive list of bands—Stop It!!, Goo?, Brainworms, Permanent, Curriculum, plus twice as many more—and while I certainly find the title of Democatessen to be brilliantly witty, it's tough for me to think of this nearly 30-minute offering as a "demo." Not only due to its running time, but more importantly the sheer quality of the material—perhaps in part thanks to the insane collective résumé of its members.
The group performs a peculiarly punked-up form of alternative/post-hardcore/etc. that could certainly find itself described by words like "angular" and "winding." It has that familiar-yet-unique feel, such that I've been struggling to pin down what it reminds me of. The best I've been able to come up with is a bit of a classic '90s D.C./Maryland type of aesthetic fused with elements reminiscent of early-2000s Scandinavian indie rock; with perhaps a few arguable nods to San Diego, or the occasional Dinosaur Jr.-ish riff. There's also a quirky mathiness to it that's kind of quintessentially Richmond, though texturally everything hits with more of a gnarled jangle than a crunch. The vocals are a combo sing/shout and definitely add to Sub/Shop's singular identity—again, there's a certain familiarity, but I just can't pin down anything precise.
Production-wise, the guitars are clearly panned, so there's a distinct separation both tonally and in terms of the variances in how the riffs piece together, which also leaves a nice gap for the heft of the bass to sit right in the center—hard-hitting and melodic runs just ahead of the perfectly natural-sounding percussion. And focusing in on the recording actually reveals the manner in which the songwriting is somewhat ever-evolving. There's not a lot of direct repetition, a certain looseness to the performances—especially the guitars, which almost never double one another—creates an effect where even individual riffs kind of shift and grow with any particular go-round, so... there's a fair amount of subtle complexity going on. Impressively creative.
Democatessen is available as a nice-looking pro CD-R in a jewel case, and the insert contains all of the lyrics, which are also quite strong:
"...I've got a mind that can't be cured, I've got nothing—just gravel between my ears. Nothing but years, wait it out, fell it down—conquer within, and then out. I'm falling out, in and out of touch. Nothing but miles between the years. Just gravel between my ears. I can't fight back, not like this. I can't attempt to avoid what's too thin to destroy. I'm scraping now, l'm living down. I can't fight back, not like this. I think I'll take the long way home; I'm avoiding streets like I always do. Avoiding scenes like catacombs, like I always do."
I enjoyed this one right off the bat, but find myself appreciating it more and more with time. It's actually one of the stronger releases I've heard this year, so I'll very much look forward to hearing more...
Get It
- Bandcamp (CD, mp3)
- Handstand Records (CD)
- Spotify (stream)
- Apple Music (stream)
