British art-rock makeup Mush’s latest release, “Blunt Instruments,” is a quirky new single that finds a charming excitement in breaking the rules. The new single comes along with the news of the release of Lines Redacted, the band’s second album that’s slated for release on February 12 of next year. This marks the continuance of quite the hot streak for Mush, who released their debut album 3D Routine earlier this year and released the thrashy single “Dead Beat” back in August. The bold punk trio clearly waits for no one, as this newest single marks yet another stride in the right direction; it’s a wildly fun joyride that finds strength in not taking itself too seriously.
“Blunt Instruments” maintains a unique balance of edge and charisma, bringing a fun flair to the lyrical and aesthetic themes of dystopia, corruption, and violence. The instrumental is incredibly sharp and tight, featuring a particularly cutting guitar riff that echoes the vocal calls. The fierce, sprawling layers interact wonderfully and chaotically, and it’s a rush when they all seem to hit you at once. Vocally, the performance from Dan Hyndman is excellently off the wall, ringing with an apocalyptic tinge reminiscent of Jello Biafra and Andrew Savage. The trio are incredibly compact and cohesive on “Blunt Instruments,” a dynamic and captivating sum of its parts.
Coming off of a strong debut album from earlier this year and jumping straight into a new batch of singles, Mush has a lot of momentum moving into 2021. They’re also incredibly comfortable in their specific pocket of rock, showing promising confidence in their ability to churn out compelling indie punk bangers. They’re clearly in stride on “Blunt Instruments,” as they demonstrate yet again their staying power in art rock. It’s going to take a lot more than a troublesome 2020 to derail this powerful freight train of a band.
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