Nice Strong Arm – Cloud Machine E.P. [12''] (1989, Homestead Records)

Originally from the Austin scene that spawned such kindred spirits as the Butthole Surfers and Scratch Acid, this NYC trio crafts a so(m)ber mixture of Brit gloom (Joy Division, Bauhaus) and New York guitar screech (Sonic Youth, Swans). While its work has been spotty, Nice Strong Arm has never been less than intriguing. 

 

'Cloud Machine' pairs two new studio tracks (including a bright, metallic funk instrumental called “Cop Show”) with two songs cut live at CBGB. The title track is absolutely jaw-dropping, echoing Sonic Youth's 'Sister' / 'Daydream Nation'-era deathmatch of pop against noize. The pulverisingly genius riff is straight out of air guitar heaven, like what would happen if J Mascis kidnapped Eddie Van Halen's soul and sold it for ransom to Dick Dale. The strangely beautiful chorus ("There is a cloud machine hanging over our heads") is delivered so magically, so perfectly, that you will never want to forget it or comprehend it. These guys probably listened to a lot of Hüsker Dü, at least that's what is in the melody department. Back to the guitar part: it's like a 3-D mashup of Jimi Hendrix's in "Spanish Castle Magic" with Bailter Space's in "Now I Will Live" and Swervedriver's in "Blowin' Cool," and it comes dangerously close to tearing apart the galaxy's space-time continuum, so it's probably best to close your door before listening. At first it almost sounds like improvised jazz noodling, but it comes together in your head as a serpentine riff the more you listen to it, and it acts as a magic carpet underneath the vocals, the two carrying each other forward with effortless propulsive force. And the drums are recorded in gorgeous surround sound, pulsating laterally with great depth. The song is just a tour de force in all ways, and you can tell the band knew it and wanted to spend a lot of time recording it just right, contrary to the quickie-is-cool attitude of most noise rockers. 

"Cop Show" is an instrumental surf-thrash scorcher that probably made Steve Vai cry into his Count Chocula. The two live tracks sound astonishingly similar to NSA's labelmates Live Skull and early Swans, but with an even darker undertow, plus legitimately singable choruses.

This EP should be hunted down by fans of stuff like Poem Rocket, Bailter Space, Band Of Susans, Unwound, and of course Sonic Youth. To call it mere "noise rock" is selling it short, but this is far more jagged than "noise pop," so one can't call it that. Tommy Victor of Prong was the engineer on the two live tracks. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

 

Label: Homestead Records – HMS147-1 

Format: Vinyl, EP, 12", 45 RPM 

Country: US 

Released: 1989 

Style: Alternative Rock, Post Rock, Indie Rock, Noise Rock

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Cloud Machine 

A2 Cop Show 

B1 Faucet Head 

B2 Life Of The Party 

 

Notes: 

Side A recorded and Mixed in May 1989 at Baby Monster Studios, NYC. 

Side B recorded live May 13, 1989 at CBGB, NYC. 

 

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