Johnboy | en

Johnboy's fiercely pummeling riffs and razor-sharp breaks made their 1993 debut one of the finest in noise rock since the Jesus Lizard. But on Claim Dedications, the Austin-based band further honed their monstrously heavy sound with an only slightly refined element to their grizzly, discordant approach. Produced by Steve Albini, the album is the stuff a noise rocker's dreams are made of: heavy, melodic, intense, cerebral, dissonant, urgent chaos. Shouting, screeching vocals with the occasional spoken-word interlude provoke comparisons with the eerie sound of Slint, but the easy analogy doesn't do either of these distinctive bands justice. It's just a...