Search - Ninety Pound Wuss :: Where Meager Die of Self Interest

This CD shows the Euss growing musical maturity and artistry

08/01/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although this release differs greatly from their self-titled debut, any Wuss fan needs to buy this album.. It is and incredible example of growth and maturity for a punk band. Playing monotonous "punk" does not satisfy the Wuss. Instead, they branch out into hardcore, emo, and other musical genres with this CD. In one word, "Where Meager Die of Self Interest" is incredible."

Simply terrifying, though there's nothing simple about it...

Derivative Contrivance | Outer, Space | 06/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In my old age, I have mellowed out considerably. Only a few years ago, I would've scoffed at whoever had told me that I would now be inundating my earholes with ambient electropop & quirky orchestral indierock. Now I scoff at that snarky little snot sneering at people who 'lose their edge'. I have since learned that 'edgy' is not some loutish dolt howling obscenities along to some brutish yob performing the d-beat by whapping audience members' skulls with a 2-by-4 while some gawky rat-faced pointyhead leering over a guitar tries in pitiful vain to figure out how to make proper noises on the confounded contraption. No, I realized that poignancy lies in the prowess with which one conveys themself, not how ruthlessly you bludgeon your audience over the head with it. Once that epiphany occurred to me, I found I had little patience for most punkish, mawkish hoopla.

So for me to remain able to listen to this record for its entire duration, much less without cringing at even the most pathetic missteps, is singular indeed. Upon first glance, your earballs will find nothing subtle about this record at all. Until you realize what you're listening to. This record is raw like a freshly mutilated corpse found drifting down a gentle creek of suppurating sewage. The guitars screech like rabid ravens divebombing, the bass growls like a lurching bear, the drums stampede like a hoard of demon locomotives seeking to trample you. And atop all the din, the vocalist shrieks in urgent inhuman agony. It is simply some of the most effectively terrifying music ever recorded. And considering the vast scores of bands aspiring for this effect, that's exemplary. This is no mere hardcore punk band spewing their bile with all the agility & cunning of a steamroller plowing through a brick wall like the oaf it is. No, this is very deliberate, very dexterous. I dare you to really listen to this album and refrain from allowing chills to wrack your spine. And once you are mottled & petrified, realize that this is a CHRISTIAN band.

Not before or since have I encountered a record with the same potency of Where the Meager Die of Self Interest. It's astonishing. It may be one of a kind. Not that I'm really expending much effort looking. This album is enough. To me, this is the definitive statement of punkish angst. No, not even angst, really. This is something much more unsettling, much more arcane. It gives me the willies. And I love it. So many years after first coming across it, it still retains every ounce of its appeal.

I urge anyone reading: procure a copy before they disappear into oblivion. Tooth & Nail probably doesn't even remember they released this. It's safe to say it's ridiculously out of print. Because it's so out of style, out of touch with what's happening in music these days. But whatever. This still beats most of what's happening music these days.

So if you're disenfranchised with the myriads of bands never daring to address the more arcane aspects of life, this record will be a breath of fresh air. It may have been buried all these years, but it's not stale. It will always remain horrifying."

Interesting...

jordan | Canada | 04/30/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Where Meager Dies.. is one of the most interesting albums ever. I originally heard their post-punk masterpiece 'The Dawning of this Night Divine' on Song..Penalty Box and loved it, so I borrowed the album. Wow, was I in for a shock. From the masterful power (music and lyrics) of Backwards Thinking to the pop-punk-hardcore of Broken Circles, the strange sounds of Queen Maggot and Blank Stare to the straight up punk of Heresy and Sick And You're Wrong. One Track Mind has some awesome riffs, and track 7 has some of the strangest guitars known to man. A great experimental album, full of angst and vigor."