Desslok Premiere “What’s the Use?” Video From Debut 7″
San Francisco’s Desslok are starting off dirty with their debut single What’s the Use b/w Ejection 7″, pairing gritty, organ-laced dirt-fuzz with a sound that’s back-to-the-start garage at the same time it’s raw, modern and the manifestation of a grown-up punk rock ethic informed by ’90s heavy. Guitars swirl and howl in “What’s the Use?,” as Rich Millman, known for his work in Carlton Melton and Zen Guerilla, pulls twisty, gooey lines under the vocals of Bob Hannam (Cabbage ‘n’ Mash, Frehley’s Vomet; he also directed the Melvins documentary), while former Acid King drummer Joey Osborne and bassist Carl Horne (also Zen Guerilla) make the forward movement (1:) swing and (2:) heavy.
At just under four minutes and one of a selection of tracks set to appear on the four-piece’s debut album either this or next year — that they’re looking for a label tells me it might be 2024 before it’s out; any among Tee Pee, Bad Omen, Who Can You Trust? Records, Nasoni, etc., would fit, if you’re asking me — it’s the band’s way of introducing themselves to listeners, launching with a solid minute of feedback, cymbal wash and noise as though to let you know they’re keeping it loose, where ‘it’ is everything. But when they break into the song proper, there’s structure and a plan at work, as one would expect. With the organ — Hannam and Millman are both credited with keys, so it’s one of them — adding warmth to the guitar and bass while the drums quick double-tap on the snare and push forward with immediacy despite the song’s not-slow-but-not-thrash-either tempo.
The album to come has some tripper and more outwardly heavy psychedelic fare, and including the Hawkwind cover “Ejection” as the B-side to the 7″ is a clever way to account for that without giving too much away. Atop the classic motorik backbeat that it turns out can hold just about anything, they bring kazoo where once was saxophone, and while that alone would be enough to make it great, Millman‘s accompanying shred isn’t to terrible either. Consistent in tone, they give earthy vibe to epitomized space rock after showing a penchant for writing hooks and carving a niche for themselves somewhere between proto-heavy and ah-shit-call-it-whatever-this-is-just-who-we-are that is only encouraging as a first release’s realization. But of course, everybody here has been to this party before, so that they’d roll in with aesthetic already in progress maybe shouldn’t be a surprise. Still makes it fun though.
From shots of the London Tube to the throwing of a phone into a toilet first and a pond second, smashing it with a hammer, and so on, one wouldn’t accuse “What’s the Use?” of subtlety, but it’s catchy as hell and a cool sound, so by all means, please dig in and enjoy:
Desslok, “What’s the Use?” video premiere
Debut single from San Francisco based Desslok. Available in digital and 7 inch vinyl formats at https://desslok.bandcamp.com/
Desslok – Dark Wave Space Mongers risen out of the ashes of enforced lockdown from an alien virus. Rich Millman (Carlton Melton/Zen Guerrilla) on Guitars and Keys. Bob Hannam (Cabbage n Mash/Frehleys Vomet) on Vocals, Keys and Kazoo. Carl Horne (Zen Guerrilla) on Bass Guitar. Joey Osborne (Acid King/Altamont) on Drums.
What’s The Use ? is the first song to be released from their upcoming album recorded at El Studio by Phil Becker, and mastered by John McBain. It will hopefully be released before the end of the year and they are currently seeking a label to put it out.
Of the song’s theme Hannam says ” What’s The Use? is a deep dark look at where we, the human race, are at right now, and how we have lost our way big time. Mainly due to the stranglehold that cell phones have on our day to day lives. Do we really want to be remembered as being part of Generation Text???”
The B-side of the single is a cover of the Hawkwind classic Ejection.
Keep up to date on all things Desslok at https://www.instagram.com/desslokband/
Desslok live:
Saturday 08/13 – Ivy Room, Albany.
Sunday 08/14 – Bottom Of the Hill, San Francisco
Desslok are:
Bob Hannam – vocals/keys
Rich Millman – guitar/keys
Carl Horne – bass
Joey Osborne – drums
