Heavy Times is the recently formed band featuring the drummer from Cacaw, Kyle Reynolds. Those looking for Cacaw's brand of dirge-y noise rock won't find many similiarities here though. Mr. Reynolds keeps it real simple in Heavy Times, a four on the floor, lo-fi punk rock band with more hooks than a bait shop, courtesy of dual guitarists Bo Hanson and Matt Courtade. There's technically no bassist in Heavy Times, but the bass is barely missed. The first thing that came to mind when I was trying to think of how to describe this record was "Stoned Ramones", but there's so much more to Heavy Times than that.
Their debut LP on Rotted Tooth Recordings, entitled "Dead", is everything but, unless you use the word "dead" inversely like when people call good things "bad". It's an eclectic, quite lively, affair with some upbeat punk numbers, a mostly instrumental doom-er, and literally everything in between. Side A starts off all power pop influenced and bippin' and a boppin', but before the end of it, one can see why they call themselves Heavy Times. The B-side comes rippin' in like a 'roided-out rodent and then, the best cut on the album, "Drug Lake" hits you square in the huevos and it hits hard. Very few bands have managed to pull off the heavy pop thing over the years, but Heavy Times totally nails it. Pure nirvana. Not Nirvana with a BIG N, but they're not necessarily a bad point of reference here. Heavy Times ain't no bullshit grunge throwback band though. They sound like a more psychedelic Spits or Wavves on a bad trip. Heavy Times, indeed.
"Dead" was pressed in a limited edition of 300 copies with beautifully hand screened fold over sleeve art, a la MLU, Mayor Daley, and Cacaw. The same folks were behind this one y'all, which means you're not just buying a record, you're buying a (master)piece of art.
(ps...click MEDIAFIRE for a download of the DEAD LP...)
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