First Glances – Autosuggestion
Moping around the house awkwardly, subversive literature in hand as might Mark E. Smith have done during one of Manchester’s many wet weekends, Hull four-piece Autosuggestion are the latest flagbearers of the neo post-punk movement, shadowy focal point Jacob Evison perfectly cast in the gruff anti-frontman role.
Forming over a shared love of the likes of Iceage and having shared stages with the likes of The Murder Capital since, last year the band digitally released an incendiary soundboard capture of their show at the Dark Daze festival and a couple of fiery tracks from it make the B-side of their first physical release out at the end of the month. The double AA-side “Deadpan/A New Slow” tape was produced by Craig Johnson of [sic] favourites Autobahn and mastered by go-to punk engineer Joe Caithness, who’s known for keeping things raw and exciting, exactly how a band like Autosuggestion need to be handled. The result will consequently appeal to fans of L.D. Moses and Document on the same label, so too sister-outfit LUMER with whom the band share a studio.
With skittering percussion and gloomy bass work, “Deadpan” echoes with first wave misanthropy, reverb making the elbowing guitars jab that much harder. With Ian McCulloch’s lyricism and Joe Casey’s delivery, Evison’s impassioned performance carries the surging melody to new places, his yelp turning into a Gothic howl on the equally impressive “A New Slow”, textural gloom and intense drums burning brightly despite drizzling guitar.
Over on the flip, the urgent “Please” blends murky riffs, leaden drum rips and a supercharged surf solo, the pained, crazed repeats of the title in Evison’s mouth less a request and more begging in the face of the devil. Those same drums and stabbing guitars then establish a dark neck-pop in the violent and chaotic “Plead With Me”, pealing feedback reducing the stage to a wasteland. “We are Autosuggestion” Evison intones at its climax, a calling card left spinning at stage exit, the start of something special.
~”Deadpan/A New Slow” is released on cassette via Ramber Records July 30th 2021, with linocut artwork by French artist Nikyta Madeira.~