A KID HEREAFTER IN THE GRINDING LIGHT

This is just nuts! The music heard on the self-titled album from bizarrely named A KID HEREAFTER IN THE GRINDING LIGHT (hereinafter referred to as AKHITGL) is crazier than a loon, which in this case results in a creative, comedic, and thoroughly gratifying grindcore album. Recorded live and spontaneously in four days, this 30-song collection is short, sharp, and funny as hell.

The press release notes that "The lyrical universe is a continuation of [AKHITGL's] highly praised pop debut from 2007, 'Rich Freedom Flavour' — a rum and optimistic style created in collaboration with American co-writer Maurice Hawkesworth, who here in an even more fragmented fashion hints at political, social, and religious comments without ever admonishing." I've not heard the disc nor necessarily care about its possible connections to the self-titled album, yet felt an obligation to include it here. Detour ended. Let's move on.

The five members of AKHITGL all compose and contribute vocals and the arrangements benefit greatly from it. Grindcore may be the foundation on which these songs are built, but mainly because of the usually breakneck speeds and manic delivery. What is most appealing is the sheer amount of variety packed into these short blasts of derangement. The overly caffeinated will flip wigs when exposed for even a few minutes to these nerve decimating anthems. Whether it the 18-second exercise in growl 'n shriek grind of "Panselmo", the bouncy groove mania of "Chosen One", or the wild-eyed, falsetto laced nuttiness of "Fuck the Snow Hello" or "Kid Selling Shit", the ride is bumpy, outrageous, and uproarious. Every time you listen to this baby a different song (or part of a song) will grab you (and shake the shit out of you). There is just so much going on and all of it spells good times for devotees of the bent and the askew.

It's like Kevin Sharp and Mike Patton hosted a roast of BIRDFLESH that turned into a drug-addled jam session videotaped for an unauthorized reunion of "Sesame Street" rejects. Plus, Shane Embury gives the album his seal of approval. That should be worth something, shouldn't it? You decide.