Short Reviews [Various Artists - 2022 - "Sounds To Make You Shudder!"]

This is the first time I have come across this label, but this was put out towards the end of 2022 to celebrate their 150th release, and they certainly have some interesting artists on their roster. Here we have 15 previously unreleased songs, and a quick glance down the artists certainly piqued my interest as any album which contains Pili Coit is going to have me intrigued as they are a fascinating avant garde act. It was then that I started to pay closer attention and realised that the opening band was David Yow & YOWIE, and Yow will obviously always be closely associated with the mighty The Jesus Lizard so comes with a massive reputation. I must confess to not recognising any of the others who are involved with this, which includes USA Nails, Lovely Little Girls, Terms, Tijuana Hercules, Psychic Graveyard and John Dwyer, Jim O'Rourke, Cuntroaches, Strangulated Beatoffs, Shatter On Impact, Bobby Conn, The Flying Luttenbachers, Upright Forms, and AZITA, but that is exactly the point of compilations like these. They are designed to provide new material to those who are already aware of the bands involved, but also a way into the label for those who do not know where to start. It has certainly intrigued me to look further into Skin Graft as for anyone into RIO or avant garde/eclectic this is a wonderfully challenging and fascinating introduction. For those who closely follow labels such as Cuneiform and Dur et Doux then here is yet another which is worthy of close attention, and I am sure I will be reviewing much more from these guys in the near future as this is exciting and enthralling stuff. For those who want their music to be sharp, strident and at the cutting edge as opposed to working through the same old idioms time and again.