THE TERMINALS- 'Forget About Never' LP/CD PRESS

NOW WAVE (The Terminals "Forget About Never" LP/CD, Dead Beat)
What a terrific debut album from Lincoln, Nebraska's Terminals! Here we get a wonderfully realized hybrid of blues/soul/gospel/garage racket and noisy, sonically adventurous modern punk. Exquisitely produced by Andy Caffrey, Forget About Never triumphantly fuses the spirit and swagger of righteous rock n' roll with the dense, experimental soundscapes and bold future-rock tones that regular In The Red customers are already well acquainted with. The group's full-throttle, blown-out bluesy punk bashing hints at precursors such as the Oblivians, Bellrays, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Gun Club, and even The Sonics, and some of the songs here rock so wildly and feverishly that I can't help but scream "Oh yeah!" and throw myself down before the altar of The Church of The Terminals. Lead track "Wild Bill's Social Club" kicks off like a ball of fire, riding inspired church organ demonstrations, feral trashcan drumming, scorching fuzzed-out guitars, and Liz Hitt's soul-aflame vocals into a crescendo of destructo jamming. And although not every song manages to cook up a similarly smoldering onslaught, tracks like "Alley House" and "Easy" are as furious and convictive as rock n' roll gets. This is where the press kit comparison to Teengenerate rings absolutely true - it's not the sound that's similar, but rather the unhinged, wild-hearted intensity and irrefutable rock n' roll essence. Caffrey does an admirable job of capturing the futuristic textures and anomalistic nuances lurking amidst the tumult. The guitars, especially, squall and clatter like some strange, penetrant instrument of tomorrow. The post-modern feel adds particular depth and character to a song like "Ride", which is hypnotic and dreamy like some sinister blend of Screamin' Jay Hawkins and My Bloody Valentine drone-pop. And although some of the moodier, less frantically paced numbers boast strong hooks and winning melodies (e.g. "Line"), I like this band best when it's simply tearing it up. So when the disc closes with the savagely slung ripper "(She's Gone) Popcorn", my ears are left ringing with the strains of a good old rock n' roll band, pure and simple. Some bands just have it, ya know?

SUGARBUZZ MAGAZINE (The Terminals "Forget About Never" LP/CD, Dead Beat)
Through the lair and under the brush lies a dirty secret awaiting to spring forth like a pink eyed, yellow toothed, possessed, rabies infected rabbit. Now, they might look cute, fluffy and cuddly on the outside but inside these balls of soft downy comfort are seething with anger and deceit. Ready to crap in your mind one rabbit pellet shit a minute or more- depending on diet and fiber intake of course!

Breeding rapid thoughts and nervous energy….The Terminals infect the gangrene laden wound with it’s potent poison sending waves of nausea and dry retching through pangs of self doubt and self worth.

Want something to bring home to mama than get a Russian Mail order bride (she will only dump you once she has landed immigrant status-you dumb fuck!) or hit the mall deadbeat and buy yourself a rubber doll in the shape of Paris or Hillary or maybe even Britney. Friction burns from plastic are hip.

Anyways getting back on track with my tongue firmly planted on the third rail. The Terminals are not a cuddly little emo band or are they a paint by numbers sad clown paint set. They test the limits and prove that being Terminal ain’t such a bad thing. Think the rotten corpse of The Sonics and lo-fi soul swirling organ infested, ingested, and never contested hazmat.

SLEAZEGRINDER (The Terminals "Forget About Never" LP/CD, Dead Beat)