Convenience

Album review

Brooklyn indie outfit Pill quickly won a reputation for arty, combative punk with the release of their self-titled 2015 EP on Andrew Savage's Dull Tools label. One year later, they return with their full-length debut, Convenience, this time on eclectic indie Mexican Summer. Fronted by singer/bassist Veronica Torres, Pill wield a spiky tonal palette that feels regional in its dedication to N.Y.C. underground traditions. Echoes of classic punk, post-punk, no wave, and even free jazz cross swords in a way that represents the new tradition in Brooklyn's vibrant musical melting pot. Guitarist Jonathan Campolo and drummer Andrew Spaulding match Torres in jagged stabs of melody and dissonance, but Pill's secret weapon is freewheeling sax player Benjamin Jaffe, whose bold skronks and improvisations add depth and color to the landscape. On tracks like the mighty "100% Cute" and the surging "Which Is True," the band is a ferocious force to be reckoned, unleashing feral power behind Torres' social and political incantations. Unwilling to be pinned down musically or lyrically, Pill pour on the dynamics while they take on governmental intervention in "My Rights" or issues of gender on "Fetish Queen" and "Dead Boys." In spite of the band's confrontational approach and often weighty themes, Convenience is not all adversarial. Pill's eagerness for sonic exploration and brash spirit make them quite thrilling to listen to, especially on slightly more nuanced tracks like "Vagabond" and particularly the lead single "Medicine," which is one of the album's brightest and certainly more accessible moments.

© Timothy Monger /TiVo