GG King: Esoteric Lore

The first full-length offering from former Carbonas frontman GG King embraces a fractured, avant-punk sound that reflects the mania of Los Angeles circa '79, with a twist of uneven lo-fi pop and pseudo hardcore tendencies. Esoteric Lore swims in dreariness, coupled with irresistible hooks that fly in the face of punk rock with underwater drumming, warped tapes, and field recordings made on a dark and stormy night. With King left to his own devices and playing most of the instruments on the record, songs such as "Want," "Acid" and "Bored of Breathing" take on a greater sense of imagination and looseness than Carbonas would have ever allowed. "Planet of Sociopaths" sounds like a chorus of demons singing along to a warped sound that lies at the crossroads of horror-punk, noise, three broken chords and Ritalin psychosis. For King, it's a dark, compulsive chapter that hinges on distinct songwriting and the noise and knowledge of his past. (4 out of 5 stars)