Hello reader,
Welcome back. Or if this is your first time here at SWT, welcome. Explore the place and stick around awhile.
Today, we’re going to delve into Bummer Camp, a Queens, NY-based shoegaze/grunge band. This group with a memorable name is new to me, but after listening to them a bit recently, I can confirm that I dig their sound, and I think you will too. The press release of their upcoming album tells all of us more about the band, “Bummer Camp serve up disarmingly melodic grunge-gaze that cuts straight to the heart. Originally forged as a solo loop project from NYC scene mainstay Eli Frank (Teenage Halloween), the band has grown through two EP releases into a dynamic 4-piece. Last year, Bummer Camp released Stuck In A Dream, their debut full-length and a testament to the evolution of the group’s sound, expanding from their lo-fi origins into the sonic vibrancy of the current fully-fledged live act. Now, with their forthcoming album Fake My Death, Bummer Camp push that emotional tension even further, turning inner turmoil into cathartic anthems that find humor, defiance, and light at the end of the tunnel.”
Fake My Death is out via Trash Casual Records on Friday, May 8th, for your listening pleasure. Brett Bivona joins Frank on lead guitar, Jon “Steel Wolf” Markson plays bass on the album, and also helps produce it, along with recording and mixing at an actual farm studio in Jersey called The Animal Farm. And Victoria Seagriff joins on drums. Frank explained the process of recording this album compared to past home recordings, stating in the album’s press release, “When I record at home, I can take as long as I want goofing around and playing with different instruments. In the studio, time is literally money… a lot of money. So you gotta be focused and use your time wisely. We did end up getting the main bits done early, so we could play around with percussion and other random stuff. I think it’s important to leave time for things like that because A) it’s fun and B) it adds character to the album.”
Frank reminds us all, “The desire to tune everything out to such a point that you just want to actually disappear forever is not going to help anything, especially yourself. You gotta take the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, and roll with it. In my opinion, whether you’re being punched or hugged, feeling something is better than not feeling anything at all.”
Some hype for your ears from Bummer Camp’s Bandcamp via the song, “Ocean”:
And now some hype for both your ears and eyes via Bummer Camp’s YouTube channel:
Mesmerizing artwork that alternates between 2D and 3D within the video for the melodic song, “One Bullet”:
(All credits and rights to Bummer Camp)
Checking out the neighborhood with a handful of exterior and interior scenes within the video for the song, “Too Far”:
(All credits and rights to Bummer Camp)
Overall, Fake My Death is a solid release. It is a consistent effort of melodic grunge-gaze. The album defines this subgenre in my mind, fitting perfectly within the best ways. This album may not have you drinking wine wistfully and smiling while you play it on your stereo, nor is that its intent. You’ll probably be headbanging, moving along in some fashion as the music moves you so, and enjoying the fast-paced tempos within. This is the kind of music that some misinformed parents may have worried about their children listening to, especially in previous misguided generations, thinking they’re depressed or perhaps on the wrong path. Those who are judging before listening to the songs. Unfortunately. Perhaps more common with parents of the past who don’t appreciate musicianship. Refrain from going down that path. Listen to and appreciate music, artistry, and your fellow humans.
There’s plenty to like in this album, from the guitar work to the shifts in melody to Frank’s lyrics and vocals. The assembled three musicians who join Frank, Bivona, Markson, and Seagriff are top-notch and play well together on every single track. They play the hell out of the guitar, bass, and drums, getting into a groove early on from the opening track “Don’t Leave,” and while the vibes change slightly from song to song and as the melodies vary slightly, the tight-knit sound remains. It’s a great listening experience throughout as they fire on all cylinders. The ending song, “Sat,” is a fitting closing to the journey of this album in verbiage, melody, and mood. I truly like a handful of these songs a lot and don’t see any as true filler. But some songs rise above others, as is common in music. Listen for yourself and see what you think. And which ones start out as your favorites, and which ones remain your favorites. Sometimes that evolves, and that’s a great thing about music and, well, life in general. I liked the album from the first listen but I liked it more and more with repeated listens. If you’ve listened, do you feel the same way?
Kudos to all involved in the composition and execution of this album. The sound quality is great too. I think that, combined, this group of musicians takes the band and its sound to new heights above previous releases. The studio paid off.
Fake My Death gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. For all the reasons above, it is well worth the 72nd-83rd percentile range of the Scum Drops rating scale that I hold near and dear. A scale that remains relative to all new releases this year. Listen for yourself and see what you think. But definitely pick this album up in the format of your choosing: either the physical vinyl version (linked below the cover art) or the digital version (same link). Add this to your collection, you’ll enjoy playing it repeatedly.
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process with Fake My Death will take less than 30 minutes of your time from start to finish, or under an hour if you listen twice back-to-back. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After several listens, I found the songs highlighted in green below to be my favorites on this album.
The tracklist for Fake My Death (song length)
- Don’t Leave (3:05)
- Ocean (2:30)
- One Bullet (2:53)
- High Water (2:40)
- Perfect Storm (4:07)
- Money and Salt (2:44)
- Too Far (3:07)
- Splint (2:44)
- Sat (2:43)
Total runtime: 26:35
Like what you heard? Check out more via their Linkree for upcoming shows and more, visit their YouTube, their Bandcamp, and follow their Instagram and Facebook.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
