CLAMM - Beseech Me Review

Founded in Melbourne, Clamm are a coming-of-age three-piece with a hell of a lot to say. The outfit have released three sonically charred singles to date, each consisting of walls of fuzzy guitars, odd meters and hard hitting drums.

Aussie punk over the past decade has become one of the most exhilarating and adrenaline soaked sub-genres. From the pop-punk styles of the early to late 2010s pioneered by groups like Violent Soho and DZ Deathrays, to the latest examples of surf and skate punk with Skegss and Hokey Dad; the scene has showed an inclusiveness never seen in the punk revivals of the 90s and early 00s.

But today, the gritty distorted sound of the underground has become so blurred, it seems anything but 4/4 hardcore seems to sell. This is where the delight of Clamm comes into the picture.

Founded in Melbourne, Clamm are a coming-of-age three-piece with a hell of a lot to say. The outfit have released three sonically charred singles to date, each consisting of walls of fuzzy guitars, odd meters and hard hitting drums. The standout of these three singles definitely being their single ‘Liar’ released earlier this year, which happens to be the first track of this LP. It’s a garage banger. The hardcore influences that Clamm happily wear on their sleeves are what set them apart from a vast majority of their peers. It’s a misunderstood sound that Clamm has a clear grasp of, and it makes for something far more intriguing and dazing than what us garage heads are used to.

So, the question on mine and presumably many others’ minds is: how will Clamm deliver a Debut LP that lives up to the sound they’ve found themselves in. Punk bands have had a lot of fun trying to keep listeners invested in an album past the first few tracks, which is why the 4-5 track EP has been a standard for punks in the past 5 years or so. But after listening to Beseech Me, it’s clear that Clamm knows what they're doing.

The second track of the LP, ‘Repress’, picks up the pace where ‘Liar’ left off. This cut is just as angry and disjointed. The phrasings in the verse are hypnotic and scream hardcore, an influence that works its way allover the rest of the track listing. It is followed by ‘Dog’, which has been available on the crevasses of the internet for a while. This track’s a head-bopping banger; it sounds like it could come straight from an Osees project but this is far nastier. The lyrics on this track have a strong gothic nature and the group’s vocalist ,Jack Summers, delivers them brilliantly with confidence and conviction. This is a band who knows how to be heard.

Titular track ‘Beseech Me’ develops a post-punk, tinged with hardcore, sound that is just a joy. The bass line on this track is dirty and groovy. The guitars are psychedelic and the vocals are the loudest we’ve heard so far. “I AM A SOLITARY HUMAN” is one of my favourite hooks on this entire album, not just the words but the delivery by Summers. It’s sterile yet packed with compassion. This album takes a stoner rock tangent with one of my favourite cuts: ‘Confused’. It’s a brief track, one where Summer manages to fit in his Gareth Liddiard-esque vocals to some great instrumentation. This take isn’t as angry as a lot of the album; it could be the sort of track found on a Bad//Dreems album and no one would bat an eyelid, but I love it! The next cut, ’Suckerpunch’, carries on brilliantly from the track before it. The verses of this take are slow in comparison to a lot of this project, while its lyrics are tongue in cheek yet self-aware and shine a light on how vulnerable people don't think they are. The chorus of the track kicks you in the face. After a single bar guitar break, you'll be kissed with a double-time pumping wall of fuzz. It’s one of the most memorable takes for sure.

Its track list comes to its hardcore apex with ‘Keystone Pols’, which is a hypnotising cascade of rhythm changes, unusual phrases and unhinged anger. Just from the opening guitar chord droning away, you know this is going to be a headfuck of a track; it’s no wonder it was one of the singles leading up to this release. The middle 8 cheers up the mood with some major chords, which are swiftly thrown out again and the soundscape returns to a psychedelic noise fest. It’s a phenomenal track.

We hit another stoner rock banger with ‘I Feel Better Now’. The droning delay-washed guitars and constantly flaming drums made for a very post-punk infused track. The bass line on this track is coated in fuzz and it’s pure filth. It’s a brief cut but one of the catchiest. The album draws a very psychedelic sound with its last couple of songs, the first being ‘Cardiac Ablation’. The band's penchant for odd phrases and abrasive dynamic changes are highlighted here brilliantly. Summers’ vocals get very melodic on this cut, which is a surprisingly great compliment to the wall of droning guitars and fuzz behind him. The album concludes with the chanting anthem ‘Bossman’, the lengthiest track on the album and definitely one of the most developed. It’s a bittersweet song that highlights the indifference of others towards you. It’s a great cut but as a closer this track feels more important and more effective; it just shows us how Clamm know what they are doing when it comes to pacing a punk album, often something that’s executed poorly.

This is a brilliant debut, and whilst Clamm have showed a distinct and exclusive sound, the band have explored genre’s of pub punk, surf, noise, garage, noise and hardcore. Clamm know how to make a punk song interesting and captivating — 4 chord punk bands have been dead in the water for years now and Clamm know it, which is why this album is generously dosed in odd meters, walls of fuzz and a set of lyrics fit for 21st century issues. It’s without saying that I hope Clamm can develop their ethos to crafting garage punk bangers and follow this project up with something that expands beyond its confines. There's a lot of talent in Clamm which I'd love to see channeled into a more psychedelic or inherently noise rock sound, but I can only wish.