On their self-titled debut,
Negative Scanner prove themselves to be a good deal rawer than many of the bands resuscitating post-punk in the 2010s -- which isn't that surprising given vocalist/guitarist
Rebecca Valeriano-Flores and drummer
Tom Cassling's time with combustive Chicago garage punks
Tyler Jon Tyler. As with their previous band,
Negative Scanner quickly earned a reputation for being a commanding live act, and it's easy to hear how these songs would explode in concert. Even more so than with
Tyler Jon Tyler,
Flores' voice is the focal point, whether she's leaping from a growl to a wail on "Ivy League Asshole" or delivering
Jello Biafra-like levels of vibrato on "Criticism." The band recorded
Negative Scanner in their practice space (with Chicago punk vet
Mike Lust engineering and
Mikey Young of
Total Control and
Eddy Current Suppression Ring mastering the sessions), which only adds to the sheer energy of tracks like the grinding "Planet of Slums." However,
Negative Scanner are at their finest when they add a little more nuance and melody to their attack: "Saturday Night & Sunday Morning" reaffirms how much post-punk suits
Flores' vocals, while "Fan vs. Wild"'s haunting mix of love and anger remains their best song yet. Songs such as these and "Would You Rather" and "Forget It" suggest that as ferocious as
Negative Scanner are here, they've got a lot more to offer. ~ Heather Phares
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