Ghettoblaster Magazine

New Music | Friday Roll Out: Xenia Rubinos, Namesake, Cherubs, Icky Reels, Pugs Atomz, +More

By: Eddie Ugarte (ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE)

I can appreciate things when they become…tricky. That’s what happens with Cleveland, Ohio’s Terrycloth a 4-piece that’s hard to pin down as necessarily being “one thing.” James Pequignot (vocals and bass), Stephen ‘Tebbs’ Karney (vocals and pedal steel guitar), Drew Maziasz (guitar, vocals), and John Panza (drums) all bring something unique to the band and it obviously shows with the group’s self-titled release. The sound the band creates may be rooted in post-punk but the members expound on it much further than that. Listening to “The Dancing Plague” as that pedal steel slide all throughout it with the rhythm section moving so frantically along, but it’s just might be Pequignot that gets my attention as he borrows & incorporates the Jerome Kern lyrics from his show tune “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (popularized by The Platters and Nat King Cole) within his lyrics. It moves the track in a varied direction with a nod to the master craftsmen. But it’s “Weight Of The World” that captures my attention with horn play thrown in the mix by Antoine Canon & subtle backing vocals by Sophoulla Gibson. It’s dreamy, moves with stealth and even at its noisiest, remains silky smooth. Like I mentioned, the energy is pretty varied on this release but coalesces well together. Terrycloth is that shit.