Loud. Bratty. Bordering on obnoxious? Maybe, but this brash quartet out of Texas is here to prove something with its full-length release Something To Consume (Third Man Records). The band is filterless, with the volume set to 11 and on the attack. Of course they are, and “Throw Yourself To The Sword” encapsulates that all. The band’s voluminous instruments leave your ears ringing with a full-frontal assault, riffing across the track with Buzz Osbourne-like prowess while playing with Mick Mars-like tempestuous fingering. Yeah, we hear it. The sound Die Spitz emanates from the album is larger-than-life with absolutely no fucks given. You can hear that resonate in “American Porn” where you think they’re heading in one direction but then scream & howl in another. This is what we’ve been missing: a group that probably doesn’t give one or two shits if you like them or not because they’re not here for you but for her pleasure. This is possibly the best song the Blackhearts never wrote. It’s angry, it’s volatile, it’s wrapped in melody, and it destroys everything in its path!

There’s something special about the band that separates it from the rest of the pack, and it’s probably the ferocity of its delivery. Listening to the punk-fueled “Riding With My Girls,” there’s a sense of abandon while also holding tightly to the reins or the song’s structure. But the band changes things up on the smooth feel of “Punishers,” where the melody and instrumentation are inviting, but the band members do crank things up on overdrive, and the song is the better for it. For fuck’s sake, Something To Consume is something we can all sink our teeth into, without need of flossing, because we want that aftertaste to linger for a while.

JULIA JULIA – SUGARING A STRAWBERRY

It’s as if I can almost taste it. The melting sweet grains rolling right off, and it’s delicious. Yeah, it’s a taste unlike anything else, and if you close your eyes, you imagine the sun touching down on the horizon as you continue to bite into a delicate fruit, and its tanginess is stifled by the sweetness wrapped all around it.

Before I get lost in the imagery, it’s Sugaring A Strawberry (Suicide Squeeze Records) that’s being referenced here. This is the sophomore effort by Coathangers member Julia Kugel. Recording as Julia Julia, the music here strays as far away as possible from the garage-punk of the band for a more delicate approach. Throughout the new album, we see and hear a different side, much softer, more soothing. “Bound” opens the album, structured around light percussion, gently plucked bass notes, and subtle guitars. All the while Kugel coos around her words, floating. Her voice is airy, barely raising it but keeping listeners captivated. Make no mistake, while everything rolls around quietly, her voice lilts around sweet melodies and allows emotion to take hold. It’s beautiful and sets the tone for the rest of the album. “Feeling Lucky” is led by a guitar chord that could explode at any moment if they chose to do so, but Kugel has complete control over them, keeping them in check with her sultry voice, and I’m here for it. Her voice is sultry and tantalizing, fitted well within the mix.

Even though there are moments when you might think everything’s going to explode across a void, there’s still the moment when and where it’s grounded. “Blackout” moves this way, but again, Kugel’s voice, captivating from beginning to end, holds everything together and allows listeners to ride the crescent wave of sensuality around it. Could there be a comparison to anyone else? Of course, but the breathiness of her voice remains focused, never shaking or making a misstep. Now “Stalemate” though brings to mind Dazed and Confused with one Milla Jovovich plucking at strings & singing. It’s just the guitar though that I’m making a cheap comparison to because it’s floating in curiosity & darkness. This is one of my favorite tracks on the release, with sparse percussion and Kugel lighting the way until its eventual end.

Throughout Sugaring A Strawberry, yes, there is a hint of mystery, but it’s all tied together neatly, and Julia Kugel handles it with poise and elegance. This year, this is a surprise, and it’s pieced together wonderfully.