Merchandise / Destruction Unit / Milk Music "USA '13" LP

Image of Merchandise / Destruction Unit / Milk Music "USA '13" LP

$12.00

The Milk Music / Merchandise / Destruction Unit split LP is a document of a 2013 US tour which drew worldwide attention from those interested in the modern US rock underground from a seemingly unlikely combination of bands.

When we say “unlikely” it is because these bands are from the geographical fringes of the country: from the far corners (the other East and West coast corners) we have the despondent and desperate Merchandise (Florida) and the freedom freak jams of Milk Music (Washington), and from the depths of the Sonoran desert the majestic psychedelic assault of Destruction Unit.

When we say “unlikely” we don’t want to suggest they are ill-fitted. While the songs occasionally scrape against one another in disparate tone and pace, the resulting sparks thrown off do little to affect the overall congruency of these bands, a communal trip and a beautiful come down: we move from the introverted warmth of Merchandise to the sensory overload of Destruction Unit into a blissful, careering drift in the capable arms of Milk Music. The booklet that accompanies the record, designed by Destruction Unit’s J.S. Aurelius, collates some of the fliers and photos from the road, and gives one pause to consider: is this is a document of the best of the American psych underground in 2013/2014?

That’s high talk. But let’s get high: these bands have a relentless work ethic and their members tour continually in these and many other high quality bands, and if they’re not in your city tonight they’ll probably be there tomorrow, so start the party tonight, here, with this record, a perfect place to get acquainted with some of the energy of the heavy current that is flowing through the underground right now.