Dumb Numbers, (the product of Adam Harding, Dale Crover, and Bobb Bruno from Best Coast) and the 1983 sludge metal band Melvins (Buzz Osborne, Dale Crover, and Steven Shane McDonald) have a new incarnation. The two groups have teamed up for a three-song single, dubbed Broken Pipe, which is sure to blow the heads off of all experimental grunge and metal fans. The EP is set to release on April 29 from Joyful Noise Recordings.
Broken Pipe is not the first time the musicians have partnered together (in 2015 they released a split series that also included David Lynch). Also featured on the EP is David Yow (from The Jesus Lizard) who lends his vocals to the track “So-Called Solid Objects.”
“I’m severely honoured to work with Buzz and Dale on this release,” says Dumb Numbers’ Adam Harding. “I actually wrote one of the songs in 1997 after seeing the Melvins play in my hometown of Geelong, Australia. I never dreamed that 20 years later I would get to record it with them.”
It’s not the first time that Dumb Numbers has worked with Yow, but the addition of Melvins to the mix makes for a truly unique, experimental, and heavy sound. Dumb Numbers is known well in the avante-garde and noise rock scenes, and infamously mysterious director David Lynch is a big fan, he even designed Dumb Numbers’ EP cover art.
If you know Lynch’s films, you’ll understand why he would associate himself with Dumb Numbers. The eerie, desolate, atmospheric sound of the band is straight out of a Lynch film. Filled to the brim with atmospheric, eerie noise and dark ambient tones, The Dumb Numbers is the perfect soundtrack for a dark film noir.
The title track “Broken Pipe” has Melvins’ written all over it. You can hear the distorted guitars, and the drumming that is classic Dale Crover, but then you get this huge, chugging bassline that sounds like it’s coming out of the speaker at you. When it hits, it hits hard.
You can pre-order the hand-numbered release here. You can also stream the title song “Broken Pipe” below.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
Broken Pipe EP tracklist:
1. Broken Pipe
2. Harvel (Toshi Kasai re-mix)
3. So-Called Solid Objects (featuring David Yow)
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