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Released on August 28, 2015 via Sapien Records Limited
Shitwife are a two piece from London, featuring Wayne Adams (Death Pedals, Ladyscaper etc) on laptop/gizmos and Henri Grimes (Shield Your Eyes) on drums. Born from the capital’s DIY scene, they have played an absolute fuck load of gigs. They play right in the middle of the crowd. It’s maxed out, exhilarating stuff, which given them the ability to sneak onto pretty much any line up, from a grindcore night all the way to a warehouse raves. Recently, at the album launch for Big Lad, around 300 people showed up to watch them at the Unicorn, which is just fucking ridiculous. They are attracting huge levels of excitement at the moment and there’s a feeling that they could be world beaters given a push… so does Big Lad live up to the big buzz? Let’s find out.
The first thing that struck me the first time I heard the opening track ‘High Octane Party Banger’ is that it feels different to their live show, it’s a little more polished and controlled. I was expecting more of a Lightning Bolt vibe, but this is something else entirely. The electronics are delicate, crystal clear and the whole thing has the feel of a dance album rather than heavy rock. As for the drums, they are fucking RIDICULOUS! A kabillion miles an hour with all kinds of crazy rhythms being chucked around throughout. I don’t think they necessarily go naturally with the electronics, but that’s the genius. Shitwife have dangerously fused two very different worlds together and created something truly unique. One moment you are playing a game of Golden Axe on the Sega Mega Drive and the next you are in a dodgy club in Vauxhall on a big fat pill whilst hugging a big shirtless hairy man. There’s also a track called ‘Thomas Brewins’. Thomas is the drummer in one of Wayne’s other bands, Death Pedals. He must have done something amazing to deserve this privilege because that track is an absolute fucking banger. The electronics make me all warm and cosy and I feel a lot better about the world whenever I hear it.
Big Lad will challenge most people, rock fans might find it too electronic, electronic fans might be put off with the crazy drum patterns. However, if you want to hear something exciting in 2015 then look no further. There’s nothing else that sounds anything like it and if there was a God they’d be massive and Big Lad would be blasted in every student house party in the country (I’m sure the Shitwife would rather be playing them live instead though). In a year that’s seen dozens of bands from the capital’s underground scene stand up and make astonishing albums, this is another belter which people will listen to forever. Buy it!
