More bands should be influenced by Liars. That’s my first takeaway from “Pink Slips,” a song that is definitely descended from Angus Andrew’s experimental post-punk project. It’s the lead single from Perfect New Knife, the forthcoming album from Chicago’s own Mass Text.
Billed as a collective, Mass Text are headed up by Chris Sutter, who also makes raucous punk rock (Hot Snakes meets PUP, I called it) in the band Meat Wave. Perfect New Knife was produced by Dehd’s Jason Balla, who released his debut solo album as Accessory this year. The droning, ominous “Pink Slips” works as a wondrous introduction to the album, especially when Sutter quotes the Partridge Family’s “I Think I Love You” in dark, deranged fashion on the second verse.
Sutter shared this statement:
“Pink Slips” is the starting point and impetus for Perfect New Knife. While it doesn’t really sound like any other song on the album, it gave us the freedom to produce whatever felt right for the record, depending on the song and energy we wanted to convey. We built on top of the home demo in the studio, so many of the original takes and much of the feeling of the song were retained. The feedback on the track is from two really old walkie-talkies that I recorded on my phone while on tour. The term ‘pink slips’ refers to a time when my gums wouldn’t stop bleeding, so all my teeth looked like little pink slips in my mouth.
Listen below.
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TRACKLIST:
01 “Nice Dream 2”
02 “I Look For Your Face”
03 “Pink Slips”
04 “Eight Candles”
05 “Sunglasses On Christmas”
06 “New Orleans”
07 “How An Atom Fell”
08 “$300”
09 “Weightlifting”
TOUR DATES:
11/18 – Chicago, IL @ Hideout w/ Brent Penny
02/12 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (album release)
02/13 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cloudland
02/14 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
Perfect New Knife is out 1/29 on Solid Brass. Pre-order it here.