I highlighted Minneapolis’s Fuck Knights awhile back and described their very lo-fi/lo-tech approach to playing and recording their garage rock anthems. All those months ago showed the Knights stripped down sound to be both a product of their influences and their economic reality.

In order to relocate to Minneapolis, drummer GD Mills sold most of his drum kit, leaving him with just a snare, floor tom, and crash cymbal. Guitarist Joe Hasting’s style of playing with a pencil, which might seem like a nerdy reinterpretation of Jimmy Page’s violin bow wielding prowess, is mostly about sparing his thumb for the guitar lessons he gives in order to make ends meet.

Well, it seems ends have been met a bit on their latest 7″. The A-side, “Abrasions,” is chock full of washboard and horns and comes across like Tom Waits channeling The Music Machine. Vocals wash in over a bass heavy riff that just as suddenly breaks down into an acoustic, middle eastern tinged, shamble. There’s a ton of studio trickery going on for a band that was just releasing everything live and it works wonders. “Abrasions” ends with a Rocket From The Crypt horn flourish and then it is gone.

B-side, “Materialize Soon” is a bit more straight forward. Still bass heavy, it is less cluttered but no less rocking. It’s hiccup vocals and in-the-red “yows” would make The Sonics proud. Fuck Knights just might be growing up in front of our eyes. These two songs represent a giant leap forward.

Yes, even in the garage rock world, you can lose a little reckless abandon and still rock out. Fuck Knights’ latest is evidence of that.

Fuck Knights -- “Abrasions”

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Catch Fuck Kights Monday, April 26, at the Empty Bottle.
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