Lifeguard - Ripped and Torn

Chicago's Lifeguard barrel through twelve tracks of utter mayhem on their debut album 'Ripped and Torn', a collection that feels like rifling through a teenager's record collection that spans from Factory Records deep cuts to noise compilation cassettes found in charity shop bargain bins.

The album opens with 'A Tightwire', setting the template for what's to come - raw energy filtered through a prism of varied influences. By the time 'It Will Get Worse' kicks in, the band's command of earworm melodies amid lo-fi pandemonium becomes clear. There's an infectious enthusiasm here that makes even their messiest of moments engaging.

Between the feedback-drenched 24-second interlude of 'Me and My Flashes' and the keyboard-drowning intro of 'Under Your Reach', Lifeguard demonstrate an eagerness to experiment that's to their credit. 'How to Say Deisar' channels dance-punk energy reminiscent of The Rapture, while 'Music for 3 Drums' embraces playful percussion with the abandon of kids discovering their parents' garage band equipment.

Producer Randy Randall (of No Age fame) captures the claustrophobic intensity of a basement show, letting the raw edges of Isaac Lowenstein's "machine gun" drumming and Kai Slater's aggressive guitar work remain delightfully unpolished. Asher Case's bass and baritone guitar provide an anchor through the storm, especially on the more structured numbers.

'Charlie's Vox' stands as the album's weirdest moment, a bold choice that showcases their willingness to fail interestingly rather than succeed predictably. The title-track 'Ripped + Torn' penultimately brings things home with the album's strongest showing, justifying its position as namesake with a perfect distillation of their garage-meets-art-school aesthetic.

Deliberately rough around the edges, there's a palpable sense of discovery. Lifeguard throw everything at the wall: post-punk angularity, noise rock abrasion, and even moments of pop clarity. Not everything sticks, but their batting average is impressive, and more importantly, their misses are as interesting as their hits.