***By the time the Laughing Hyenas went back into the studio, Kevin Strickland and Jim Kimball had left to form Mule and had left John and Larissa without a rhythm section. Many people thought this marked the end of the band. Not the case. Todd Swalla (founding member of Necros) stepped in on drums and Kevin Ries on bass. Todd is a much more subtle timekeeper than Jim and Ries had no problem locking in with him, but stayed in the background a little more than Strickland leaving Larissa to take up a little more of the slack. She rises to the occasion, her leads a bit more melodic than before, although still blanketed in a sheet of noise. Brannon’s anguished vocals will still peel the paint of the walls and over the new slightly toned down direction, somehow seem even more extreme. Crawl is notably the only of the Hyenas records recorded in Detroit at White Room Studios.
2XLP $24.95
06/19/2020
***With their roots firmly planted in Detroit’s Cass Corridor punk rock and hardcore scene of the early 80s, John Brannon (Negative Approach) and Larissa Strickland (L-Seven), along with the locked in rhythm section of Kevin Strickland and Jim Kimball, the Laughing Hyenas took it to a completely different plane. Taking pointers from The Birthday Party and Funhouse era Stooges as well as early blues and jazz artists, the Laughing Hyenas were a fierce, sulfuric blast of noise. While their style didn’t change much over the course of their first three albums, they kept improving on the formula and on Life Of Crime, they reached their peak! Kevin’s thick and agile basslines and Jim’s bone-breaking drumming make a rhythm section that is incomparable. Larissa’s blistering guitar somehow builds haunting melodies out of the sonic chaos. Brannon is a punk rock whirlwind with the conviction of an old bluesman, his relentless howl make this one of his finest vocal performances to date and make this a truly disturbing and terrifying listen. This is the last record of the “Butch Vig Trilogy” — a beautiful, creative partnership that resulted in three untouchable records and helped point bands like Nirvana and Sonic Youth in Butch Vig’s direction.
LP $21.35
06/19/2020
***The Hyenas travelled to Smart Studios in Wisconsin to record Merry Go Round, marking the start of a creative partnership with producer/engineer Butch Vig that would result in three of the most groundbreaking, game changing and scariest records to ever come out of Detroit...or anywhere.
2XLP $24.95
06/19/2020
***With their roots firmly planted in Detroit’s Cass Corridor punk rock and hardcore scene of the early 80s, John Brannon (Negative Approach) and Larissa Strickland (L-Seven), along with the locked in rhythm section of Kevin Strickland and Jim Kimball, the Laughing Hyenas took it to a completely different plane. Taking pointers from The Birthday Party and Funhouse era Stooges as well as early blues and jazz artists, the Laughing Hyenas were a fierce, sulfuric blast of noise. Taking the name from a Mark Twain line, the Laughing Hyenas went back into Smart Studios with Butch Vig to record their debut full-length You Can’t Pray A Lie. The Hyenas further elaborated on the template that Merry Go Round set. Kevin, Jim and Larissa lay down deceptively simple hillbilly voodoo blues that at the same time is so rhythmically complex you’re never quite sure what’s going on. Brannon’s vocals are as frenzied and intense as ever. With the balance and everything just right on YCPAL, our dear Hyenas recorded and released one of the milestone/cornerstone albums of the 1980s American underground music scene.
LP $21.35
06/19/2020