Joint D≠, “Strike Gently” LP

cover-joint-dAccording to what I read online, the reason this band’s known as Joint D≠ is because “Joint Damage abruptly had to change their band name due to being served a cease and desist order from a Rhode Island rap metal band named Joint Damage.” Damn shame. Joint D≠ is just fucking weird, and the sort of name you have constantly explain.

The music hasn’t changed any, though — great, nervous garage punk. More punk than garage, really, but it’ll make you do that thing where you sit in a chair or car seat and pump your hand next to your head, like you’re trying to throw dice. It’s so fucking rocking, you know you’ll throw double sixes, right?

Sorry State mentions the Wipers, and Greg Sage’s mojo certainly floats around the sounds of Strike Gently. It’s almost too well-done to totally freak out, if that makes any sense. Basically, Joint D≠ aren’t the sort of band to blast anger forth. They’re tense and coiled, letting everything seep out gradually over the course of their record.

While not extraordinarily ground-breaking, Joint D≠ strikes off into infrequently-explored territory on this album. It’s certainly a record you’ll find yourself flipping over to experience over and over. It stayed on the turntable down here for several days straight, just getting restarted every time it finished. Not much better an endorsement than that, is there?