Deathfix offers the sound of adolescence. Not a re-creation of the music that Brendan Canty, Rich Morel, Mark Cisneros, and Devin Ocampo
made in their teens, this band instead conjures the rangy vibe of that period between the end of the Beatles and beginning of rock’s commercial reign. On its self-titled debut, Deathfix orchestrates a swirl of glam, psychedelia, and pre-punk swagger. Here, Fugazi drummer Canty is playing guitar while singer/songwriter/remixer Morel is playing keys, and both sing. Their production skills likewise shine on this rich, dark collection of songs. With its fuzzed-out guitars and fat groove, “Better Than Bad” sets up a record where textures and tones are as important as words and riffs. The strut of “Bad” turns into a creepy crawl on “Low Lying Dreams.” “Hospital” carries the turbulence in a more pointed direction before the mood lightens on “Dali’s House,” a wishlist of abodes that works as a commentary on celebrity. “Transmission” is the big finale. (Out Tuesday)
ESSENTIAL “Low Lying Dreams”
Deathfix performs at T.T. the Bear’s on March 14.