The Bassholes, “I Feel Like Sleeping” 12-inch
The latest yarn from Don Howland and Lamont “Bim” Thomas comes in the form of a big bonus 12-inch and should alleviate any complaint subscription holders can lobby against the lack of monthly continuity. It’s taken a huge chunk of my life to warm to Howland’s cracked, yet dead serious, hick-punk blues, and in that time, they’ve actually become heavier, looser, cretins more productive than ever in what could be seen as a renaissance of sorts. I don’t believe there was this much essential Bassholes in the beginning. The title track is a first (evidence of this shift), allowing Thomas lead vocals to lament over a soul-drenched, electric thump. Then comes “Cyclotron.” The punk classic is now traditional amongst the Columbus stable, and Howland’s bottomless pit rendition sits well in the company of the opposite side’s haunting, plucked minstrels. “(I Went) A Willing Prisoner” is Howland at his most sinister. Singing about various forms of genocide, you know he’s playing a character you never want to meet in casual conversation. But that character’s acerbic “devil should care” wit and the errant yodeling makes him a character that needs to be heard. If CDR keeps pressing all of the whims of the Bassholes, I’m sure we’ll keep listening—intrigued.