Jesus Lizard
Head/Pure

THE REVIEW

In 1989, perhaps the wildest group of the so-called "post-hardcore" was born, and certainly one of the most spectacular both technically and emotionally of the nineties. Two veterans of the seminal Scratch Acid, bassist David Sims (also of Rapeman) and singer David Yow, founded the Jesus Lizard with Duane Denison. The group, whose name is inspired by a type of basilisk that walks on water, reveals itself from their first 12" "Pure" as a slap in the face to the already extreme American alternative scene (various Fugazi, Melvins, and Nirvana were bewildered by them). The sound structure of the first EP is somewhat rough; the songs, punctuated by a drum machine, appear as degenerate offspring of Albini's madness in "Big Black." What strikes the listener the most is the sense of chaos and depravity that reigns. Sim's bass is more metallic than ever, Denison's guitar in fact coins a style that might initially seem unkempt but is actually a revolution in the instrument. Yow, whose last name is at the very least onomatopoeic, is perhaps the most extreme singer in rock history. Saying he can't sing is an understatement. He rather seems like a psychopath in a perpetual nervous breakdown, so real and natural do his delusions seem. Not to mention his live acts during concerts, where this stage animal (or rather, beast) freely unleashes his barbarism. No concert is recalled where he doesn't expose his genitals, sometimes even during the first song. The Jesus Lizard could very well be the representation of a homicidal maniac's mind. "Pure" is followed by "Head," their first professional work in terms of recording. From here on, the band can also rely on a drummer, Mac mcNeilly, who proved to be a virtuoso of the instrument. The two mini albums are merged into "HEAD+PURE," under Touch&GO.

It begins with the sick riff of "One Evening" with Denison's guitar repeating the same truncated sequence until the inevitable explosion. Perhaps the track is the most musical of the album, and that says a lot... With "S.D.B.J." Yow's ordeal begins. His screams seem those of an apocalyptic preacher amidst the total apathy of the instruments. The subsequent "My Own Urine" and "If You Had Lips" give free rein to Yow's most perverse passions. Disgusting and horrifying images are literally spat over a sonic mosaic of impeccable quality. This would become the band's trademark. "7vs8" is perhaps Yow's most brutal vocal delirium. It seems like someone is tearing his vocal cords with red-hot pliers so much does he scream. Denison is applause-worthy. With "Pastoral" we have a sly pause, a poignant instrumental that flows quietly but introduces a sequence of deadly tracks starting with the spectacular rhythm section of "Waxeater" and ending with the sonic delirium of "Killer mcHann." "Blockbuster" is an industrial dance with almost hip hop echoes and becomes one of the group's anthems (Melvins would later cover it).

The masterpiece of the album is perhaps the subsequent "Bloody Mary," a concentration of stunning emotional violence. A sinister melody accompanies the desperate scream "Mary, Mary, get away!!". Two supersonic runs like "Sarlet" and "Rabid Pigs" showcase an industry disfigured by hardcore, while Yow, once again, shows us how little man and beast differ as far as instinct is concerned. The finale is a trip, with the bewildering "Happy Bunny Goes Fluff Fluff," an instrumental where the guitar distortions create a metallic cloud that envelops something that could only be defined as chaos. With "Head/Pure," not only do the Jesus Lizard give birth to one of the most important and sincere musical projects of the 90s, but they also give rise to a "primitivist" movement that we could conceptually compare to the "Pop Group." Yow's psychodramas, Denison's extraordinary inventiveness on guitar, and the rhythmic section of Sims and mcNeilly creating a sturdy and flexible backbone, have created a powerful and refined combo, which unfortunately dissolved in 1999.