Tom Gallo is the host of Look At My Records! on Radio Free Brooklyn.
Up until this point, Patti may have flown under your radar, but they’re aiming to change that with the release of their untamed debut full-length album. The Brooklyn via Oakland act first piqued my interest with their hair-raising 2018 EP, Bad Back, a release with a nine-minute runtime that managed to pack an entire album’s worth of energy into a mere four tracks. Good Big, the group’s debut full length, dropped earlier this month and continues to be a physical embodiment of their uproarious energy and unrestrained creativity.
The band is highly unconventional in both their sound and approach to songwriting, laying it all to bear in an art-punk styled ethos that throws musical confines out the window. Their sprawling experimentation flows steadily throughout Good Big, starting with the commanding lead track “Rubber,” which sets the tone with a funk-infused bassline and thick, angular riffs.
Throughout, the record shows glimmers of Minutemen punk-stylized funk, most prominently on “Is Ours Not Yes,” which shares similarities with that San Pedro trio’s classic song, “It’s Expected, I’m Gone.” Beyond that, Patti weaves between unconventional time signatures while still delivering ample post-punk hooks and circular rhythms that’ll draw you back in repeatedly for multiple listens. Just imagine the arty post-punk of Wire clashing with the progressive chaos of Primus, but on a much higher dosage of steroids. Though none of the songs on the record surpass the three-minute mark, the band avoids the common short song trap of being too linear, instead, they manage to create catchy deadpan melodies amongst earworms upon earworms of riffs.
You can purchase Good Big on vinyl via Bandcamp.
Patti is currently in the midst of a massive fall tour. For a full list of dates, check out the show listing tab on their Bandcamp page.
All images courtesy of Patti.
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