Moron Butler/Girls Like Us

Split 7" (Single, 2023)

Self Release

Despite being a newish band (and definitely new to me), and having a not-that-great name, Moron Butler are very impressive; playing a type of claustrophobic post-punk that used to be described as 'angular' - think Wire/ Gang of Four with a dash of (whisper it) poetry in the lyrics. They seem to share core members with The Long Knives, and so sound similar, but slightly less musically direct.

Play That Dead Band's Song is a tightly wound, densely worded dissection of the events that led up to (and resulted from) the Black Lives Matter movement - and how little has changed - with fantastic leaps of logic, and phrasing - "In the twenties it was ropes and trees/ Now in the twenties it's necks and knees." – referencing Fred Hampson, John Cassavettes and (possibly) Kent State.

A Farewell To Arms is a less complex, but nonetheless heartfelt attack on militarism, which avoids the cliches of the 'War is bad' genre by virtue of its lyrical brevity. I could have done without the saxophone, but that just me.

Girls Like Us first offer up Song of the Wytches, which is more of a straight ahead punk rock proposition, and none the worse for it. Based loosely on the witches speech from Macbeth, it deals with the fatal consequences of misogyny ("You watched those witches burn"). There’s a good grasp of dynamics on display and they know a tune when they hear it, so it's by no means a rama-lama three chord thrash, but Spoonfed is more musically adventurous, dropping the tempo and leaving space for swathes of feedback (always a good thing).

Although it's an angry attack on privilege ("We all know the law/ Only applies to the poor"), there’s space to express vulnerability ("I spilt too much/ Drank too much wine"), so it isn't just an exercise in finger pointing. 8/10

Nick Hydra (January 2024)

https://moronbutler.bandcamp.com/

https://girlslikeus.bandcamp.com/