by Phil Scarisbrick

Four albums in five years is some going by any standards, but for Brooklyn band SAVAK it is necessary because they have a lot to say. In 2020, it is very easy to write a pessimistic record. The world is in a fragile stake of flux, with politics, the enviroment and even world health teetering on the edge of implosion. It would also be easy to write a record of blind optimisim, with feel-good platitudes and dreams of the perfect world. On the face of it, the indie-punk of Rotting Teeth in the Horse’s Mouth is sonically pleasing, but dig a little deeper and you will find a world that flits between both dystopian and utopian musings of the American condition.

Lead single, What is Compassion?, strides through its lament of real estate developers and cloud servers over a barnstorming soundtrack that hints at Wilco and The Gaslight Anthem. Listening is a full on assault on the American ruling class, and specifically those who are tasked by the electorate with protecting its citizens. The ferocity in the delivery is paired with Weezer-esque sense of rock melody that makes you unable to get that toe tapping along to its vitriol.

Elsewhere Aujour’hui brings the light, with its bilingual tribute to songwriter, Michael ‘Jaws’ Jaworski’s daughter. Hints of Echo & The Bunnymen and REM make the A-side’s closer one of the album’s highlights. There is a lot to like about this record, even if some of it may pass you by on the first listen. Further spins will reveal a mature stocktaking of the world we live in through American eyes. Everything isn’t terrible, everything isn’t great, but if you fight against the bad and for the good then there is always reason to be optimistic. Wrapped up in a toe-tapping, indie punk soundtrack, this is a message I think we can all get on board with.

Secret Meeting score: 74

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