I’ve been hibernating and buried in layers of clothes and bedding, seeking a certain remedy to wake me from this seasonal slump, and I’ve found it in Thick, the upcoming EP from Step Sisters. It’s like the Southern resurrection of the Seattle scene, based in “Lithium” and recorded to tape to bring you into a fuzzed-out, punk-stained world that’s infinitely more gritty and alive than whatever the Nashville vibe has been these cold and dreary days. The local four-piece makes a total and lyrical ruckus on the soon-to-be-released EP, with tracks like “Dumb Love” living in the low end and “Vox Pop” making you recklessly move. And then you hear “Nerve War,” and you feel the embodiment of the EP title. “Lyrically, Clint and I tried to describe what the first minutes of a panic attack feel like. It switches from an internal monologue to third-person, which allows the listener to sort of embody the split experience of your external and internal presence during a panic attack,” says Adam Swafford, guitarist and vocalist. Combine the heavy lyrics with the utter chaos of open chords and manic vocals, and you have a track that is undeniably thick and consuming.
Take a listen to this exclusive premiere of “Nerve War” from Step Sisters before the EP comes out tomorrow, and get to The Basement tomorrow night at 9pm for their release show with Reality Something and Heinous Orca.
-Katie
Lockeland Springsteen 