by Schuler // Death Drive 90.5
Summer and sludge go together like depression, a tub of cream cheese cake icing, and a box of Teddy Grahams. And when it comes to gritty, bum-you-out apathy, there's just no beating long-running Cali riff dealers, 16. Their style is somewhere between the bluesy sludge popularized in the NOLA scene in the late 1980's and early 1990's, and the West Coast punk and hardcore of the same era. Relapse Records will release 16's new album, Dream Squasher, this upcoming Friday, June 5th. The record represents a massive creative step forward for the band, seeing them push into catchier, more melodic songwriting, while still retaining every bit of the abyss-gazing nihilism that haunts their past work.
Anticipate the new by celebrating the old. Here's a playlist of my all-time favorite tracks from the band. Jam it in order... as far as I'm concerned, this is the ideal live set list. And don't forget to check out Dream Squasher this Friday.