This is a solid release by two gravelly-voiced bands, but the cover gives me weird feelings. It's a play on two classic record covers. The Anchor Arms' reinterpretation of the Elvis Costello My Aim Is True cover is nice, just replacing Elvis with an Octopus. However, The Anchor go all in (or is it all out?) by recreating The Dwarves' controversial Blood, Guts, and Pussy cover. They replace the two girls, dead rabbit, and little person with three dudes and a stuffed bunny. I don't have a fear of the male form, but this cover is disconcerting to me for some reason. Maybe that's the point.

Wanting to get this cover turned over ASAP, I listened to The Anchor first. The tight uptempo punk songs would likely inspire fist-pumping and running around. Interspersed are some stumbling sing-along parts. The second track, "Shits and Quivers", has some wicked fast drumming, as well. If the songs just had a solid hook, they'd be approaching the pedestal of my gravel-voiced heroes Hot Water Music.

Anchor Arms bring more gravel and a darker sound. They are clearly more hardcore influenced than the punks in The Anchor and throw in a healthy dose of some peppy guitar chugging. My favorite of this release is "Capital Letters" with the call-and-response chorus where the main singer scrapes out a line and a chorus of tough guys responds "I'll break you, I'll break you, I'll break you again." This type of songcrafting has undoubtedly earned them a fan or two in the "orgcore" genre. Deservedly so.

If you like this review, you can buy me a coffee.