Punk Rock Horror Operation
Five years after their debut album S/T, The C.I.A. stuns with their sophomore record Surgery Channel. Buzzy bass lines and abrasive synths underpin the experimental operation that blurs the line between punk rock and horror.
The album opens with what sounds like a nightmare at the dentist office. Intermittent deep breathing is interrupted by irregular mechanical whirring and screeching sounds. If the listener can make it through the surprisingly long 97 seconds, the peppy drumbeat and assonance in the next song, “Better,” feels like a treat. “Impersonator” is another catchy track that is slightly reminiscent of rock classics like “My Sharona” by The Knack and “Barracuda” by Heart.
The C.I.A, a garage rock project created by Ty Segall and his wife Denée Segall became a trio this year with the addition of Emmett Kelly from The Cairo Gang. Surgery Channel was recorded without a single six-string guitar, and the listener won’t miss it. The thick bass lines crafted by Ty and Emmett provide a sturdy foundation for Deneé’s dynamic vocals. She demonstrates a much greater range than before, especially on songs like “Inhale Exhale” where she navigates effortlessly between drill-like barks, spoken word and yearning yawps. She has a commanding presence, like she had something to prove, and now she’s proved it.
The lyrics on the album, all written by Denée, alternate between surgical quips and social commentary. “Surgery Channel Pt. 1.” seems to be a veiled critique of the voyeurism that has run rampant in the era of content proliferation and true crime obsessions. “Inside the glass there is a face / Not one that you know / Such a sight to behold / Surgery channel!” The commentary on content consumption gets literal in the synth-pop-influenced track “Bubble” which is accompanied by a quirky and colorful music video.
The album meanders somewhat erratically from the horror surgery atmosphere established in the introduction, but it periodically realigns with growly, synthy, techno-influenced tracks one might classify as “medical instrumental.” The song “Construct” consists solely of one-worded lines and rhythmic beeping sounds that reach a feverish and glitchy climax at the end of the song.
The rollercoaster of Surgery Channel feels like undergoing surgery in a horror movie and periodically waking up from the anesthesia. Chaotic throughout, the album becomes entirely unhinged in the last few tracks. Out-of-order lyrics add to the mayhem. “Never really knowing / If we’re dead or living / Now I’m done (let go) /Body gone (fleeting) / As below (nothing) / So above,” Denée snarls.
Surgery Channel is a marked departure from Ty and Emmett’s extensive catalogs of psychedelic rock and indie rock. However disordered, the album feels surprisingly natural, as if the band randomly decided to make a quirky punk rock album and nailed it on the first try. With nine different bands between them, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that serial collaborators Ty and Emmett have assembled yet another winning team.
The variety on Surgery Channel means there’s something for punk rock, synth-pop and techno fans alike. Catchy tracks like “Impersonator” and “Bubble” demand multiple listens. However, listeners who play the album from start to finish may be shocked to learn that the 12-track album is only 32 minutes long. Not for the faint of heart, listeners may need to be strapped down to the table before tuning in to Surgery Channel.
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