Will Shenton
They say that the nineties never really left the Pacific Northwest, and rarely have I seen that sentiment proven more wonderfully true than on the sixth and latest release from Olympia alt-rock outfit Generifus.
The new LP, Extra Bad, is a collection of ten guitar-driven tracks, each more nostalgic than the next. Frontman and songwriter Spencer Sult cobbled together influences as wide-ranging as seventies psych rock, eighties new wave, and obscure nineties grunge bands, and the result is a wildly catchy and surprisingly cohesive sound.
This is legitimately an album we've been unable to stop listening to. From irresistible jams like "Small Stuff" to the Police-esque "The Park," it's impressive just how easily-digestible Sult's music can be. And perhaps most impressively, the fact that Extra Bad has the potential for broad appeal doesn't mean that it's at all shallow—the vocals manage to bring it down to earth and convey real artistry.
That's not to say that Sult lacks a sense of humor, though, and his self-deprecating goofiness is on full display in the video for "Extra Bad," in which our hero struts around clad in cowboy hat and chains draped around his shoulders (in case it wasn't clear that he was a Super Hardcore Dude). It's so lame it's cool.
Extra Bad is out on September 1st, and we highly recommend picking up a copy on the Generifus Bandcamp page. Thankfully, you don't have to know how the hell to pronounce "Generifus" to get there.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
9/4 Olympia, WA - Obsidian (Album Release Show)
9/10 Nampa, ID - Flying M
9/11 Salt Lake City, UT - Diabolical Records
9/12 Flagstaff, AZ - Flag Brew
9/13 Phoenix, AZ - Trunk Space
9/15 Los Angeles, CA - The Smell
9/17 Oakland, CA - House Show
9/18 Davis, CA - Third Space Arts Collective