ARTIST: The Binges
ALBUM: The Binges
LABEL: Label of the Beast
RELEASE DATE: September 28, 2008
The Binges Rock Hard With Self-Titled Debut Album
Written by Brett Bayne
“You wanna help me? You wanna heal me? You wanna kill me? Get me out of this place,” shrieks Dylan Squatcho on the desperate “Motorcycle Song,” track 2 of the debut album by The Binges. He doesn’t reveal his whereabouts (no motorcycles are explicitly mentioned) but you’re compelled to want to help the guy out. The lead singer of the Los Angeles-based hard-rock quartet shouts-sings in a way that is simultaneously discomforting and uniquely persuasive. A vicious yet tuneful ten-song assault, the self-titled debut of The Binges (Label of the Beast) deftly showcases the straightforward, no- nonsense rhythm section of diminutive Japanese sisters Tsuzumi Okai (bass) and Mayuko Okai (guitar), who perform with all the testosterone of a half-crazed hockey team. Aided by drummer Travis “Skanky” Smith, this unlikely duo delivers crunchy, energetic grunge-punk that just happens to be relentlessly catchy. As produced by John Fields, the songs are utterly uncluttered by anything beyond drums/guitar/bass, with Squatcho’s frequently screaming vocals and Mayuko’s searing guitar solos deftly placed front and center. The real magic behind the debut is the impressive array of tightly constructed, immaculately conceived riffs that inhabit rockers like “Wake Up the Devil” and the brilliant album opener, “Hear Me Out,” a heart-pounding fist-pumper that demands your attention in both the literal and lyrical senses. “Rock Show,” the disc’s closer, is a simple but flawlessly performed love letter to the band’s own music—it’s one that surely must be even more thrilling to hear performed live. If that doesn’t wake the devil, brother, nothing will.