Biography
Austin's Red X Red M has been steadily active since 2005, and while a power trio in number, they're a super-group drawn from a decade-plus of underground Red River grit. The trio is comprised of vocalist-guitarist David Uskovich (Switchhitter; Distorted Pony; Sweetpea), bassist-vocalist Yuri Campbell (Switchhitter; the f and the ©), and drummer Adam R. Hatley (Those Peabodys). A few years in the making, Between Your Prayers and My Curses Our Kind May Triumph Yet (Australian Cattle God) is their vinyl-only debut, and is a very clear notch in the American post-punk canon. In the contemporary climate of underground music, the hyphen does get overused - hence, it's a novel thing when bands flat-out rock. But attach intellect and complexity to the music, and that immediately becomes a qualifier placed on its motion.
"Step Now Nagurski" opens the first side in a stomping bass line, condensed and wiry guitar slides and flitting martial percussion as Uskovich's throaty yelps get squeezed out of a careening instrumental tautness. Sure, there are precedents to this sort of music - Killdozer, Arcwelder, The Jesus Lizard, Johnboy - but Red X Red M do it well and come by it honestly. "White Karate" has a differently ominous groove, like Gang of Four weaned on Middle American waste. "Boss of all Bosses" is Campbell's turn to unfurl a breathy diatribe in prickly pan-tempo gallops, its ascending bridge and fleet chug a hyperactive nod to Louisville sluggers Bastro. What really separates Red X Red M from contemporary and historical ilk is their noticeable lack of sludginess or lead feet, primarily attributed to Hatley's bright and straightforward approach to both the kit and advanced time signatures. That's not to say that Campbell and Uskovich can't also tweak a pummeling surge upward - "Flesh is the New Plastic" is undeniably kinetic and direct, even if it's more jittery than rump-jiggling. While certainly winking at a few forebears, Red X Red M has debuted with a refreshingly caustic bit of wax
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.