Corduroy Aspect
H.A.G.
(Distribution Aspect)
3.5/5
Local punk band Corduroy Aspect’s new EP H.A.G.—released one year to the day after their debut album, It’s the Best I Can Do Right Now—brings a tight runtime packed with energy. At just under seven minutes, H.A.G. manages to fit in four new songs plus an interesting cover for a fifth track. While the short length is a bit disappointing, the music on the EP is fantastic, fun, and true to the band’s punk sound.
The first track, “Shut the Fuck Up,” only has five lines, all identical to the title. This might seem repetitive, but the song is only 48 seconds long; its length actually makes it play as an effective intro to the EP, creating a quick sense of hype and excitement for the following songs to capitalize on.
“Feel Nothing” immediately builds off that momentum to explore its manic emotions. Making efficient use of its longer timestamp, it rapidly paints an aggressive and authentic picture of emotional overwhelm. You can feel the desperation in the vocals, and the urgency in the sharp guitar chords.
With how simplistic the first track was, I expected something similar from the third and fourth tracks, which also clock in at under one minute. I was quickly proven wrong. Despite being short, they both bring a lot of value to the EP.
The fourth song, “My Love Grows Deeper, Pt. 2,” manages to evoke a very particular feeling through both its sound and lyrics. Its noisy, angrily loud instrumentation and detached lyrics capture the intersection of angst and apathy, singing about poor communication and dirty dishes piling up.
After the band’s original songs, H.A.G. finishes with a cover of “King of Carrot Flowers, Pt.1” by Neutral Milk Hotel. Despite punk rock not being a genre the original song draws from, Corduroy Aspect adapts it wonderfully, bringing a punk-rock influence to an already brilliant song.
Between the excitement all the new songs bring, and the quality of the EP as a whole, H.A.G. is a huge little success for Corduroy Aspect. The only issue I have is how short it is, leaving me wanting more, but that’s why playlists exist.