First Fits
ORG, 2019
9/10
Now here’s something exciting- a new outfit from Matthew Simms (Wire), Mike Watt (Minutemen), Bob Lee (The Freeks) and Edvard Graham Lewis (Wire). As FITTED, the legends swirl around gritty pop, psyche-rock and retro-rock’n’roll as Watt and Lewis trade vocal duties on an unclassifiable affair.
“Plug In The Jug” starts the listen with some ambience before sonically engaging crunchy rock sounds enter the hazy atmosphere, and “Training Pit Bulls For The Navy” follows with a bristling rhythm section that complements the unpredictable setting of melodic, yet noisey sounds that are never short on power.
The remainder of the album is equally unexpected, including the pulsating, psyche flavored “Magically Blessed”, while “The Chunk That Got Chewed” really showcases Watts’ bass prowess on the almost carnival-esque action of nostalgic nods.
“The First Fit” exits the affair calmly, with surreal texturing and distant vocals that fade into bare, repetitive ideas that are a far cry from the primarily loud execution of the rest of the album.
A group that were meant to just be one practice session, FITTED is a jam band like nothing you’ve ever head before, something that aging punks, prog-rock fans and experimental, artistic types can get on board with. Let’s hope there’s more on the horizon very soon for FITTED, cause today’s rock scene needs this badly.
Travels well with: fiREHOSE- Flyin’ The Flannel; Wire- Nocturnal Koreans