Bitter Animals

I'm continually surprised with how many records Tim Singer is turning out these days. Between the new No Escape a few years ago, a new Deadguy album last year, and Bitter Branches... it seems like there is always something new from that guy.

Still, I was shocked to see preorders go up for a new Bitter Branches record from Equal Vision this year. Your Neighbors Are Failures was one of my favorite new releases back in 2022... it surprised me with how good it was... so yeah, I jumped on the preorder for their newest, Let's Give The Land Back To The Animals.

This new Bitter Branches record hits just as hard as the last one. There is so much rage in the delivery of these songs that it feels like it could boil over at any second... and this fits my mood lately, so I've been spinning this record a lot. "But I'm the weird one. I'm obscene. Why are you not screaming?"

Great gatefold packaging. 150 pressed on clear and red ripple colored vinyl.

Have You Tried Jogging?

I was kind of surprised to see a new Bitter Branches record this year. When older dudes come out of hardcore retirement with a new band, I guess that I don't really expect them to stick around too long. Bitter Branches released a five song 12 inch in 2020, and then a two song 7 inch in 2021, and I expected that that might be it for the band. I was happily proven wrong.

While I enjoyed the first Bitter Branches EP, it wasn't something that I returned to very often. So while I was happy that the band was releasing a new record, I didn't feel the need to hunt down any special limited pressing, and I just grabbed a copy of Your Neighbors Are Failures from REVHQ when I was placing an order. Initially, I was put off by the color pattern used for the vinyl, but I'm starting to come around and now I'm kind of digging the orange and black version that I received, and think it flows nice with the cover art. As a side note, I didn't even think that the band name was on the front cover until I was looking at this photo that I'd taken.

As for the record... holy shit... this thing surprised the hell out of me. I really liked the Along Came A Bastard 7 inch, as those two songs hit hard, and with Your Neighbors Are Failures, Bitter Branches continue that trend of anger and agression. I'm surprised with how much I am loving this record.

I don't really collect multiple copies of new records anymore. I'm not interested in keeping up with the dozen different shitty looking color vinyl variants that the labels push out these days. Instead, I will usually just take whatever less offensive color vinyl option I can get and be okay with it. Cover variants, however, are my weakness. As soon as Marcus mentioned that Equal Vision was selling a version of Your Neighbors Are Failures with a special screen printed cover, I jumped into the store to see what was up. Like I said, I was really liking the album, and while I wasn't excited over the splatter vinyl, the special cover had me sold.

Number 100 of 150 made with the red and black splatter vinyl and the special cover. This is a really nice looking version.

After I originally picked up the ACAB 7 inch on clear with yellow splatter vinyl, I discovered that the record was also pressed on pink. I kind of wanted one since pink is the best vinyl color, but I had talked myself out of chasing one. As I was in the EVR store buying a second copy of the Bitter Branches album like a fool, I figured that I might was well go full idiot and pick up a second copy of the 7 inch as well.

ACAB

Bitter Branches released their debut 12 inch last year, and then Tim Singer quickly followed that up with a record from No Escape early this year. No doubt, during a pandemic year, Tim was a busy man. With that release of the No Escape record though, I was wondering if we'd heard the last of Bitter Branches, so I was kind of surprised to see a new 7 inch from the band this year.

The main thing that drew me to buy a copy of this 7 inch was the packaging. Designed to look like an old Sub Pop single, this thing looks great. I'm not interested in those old Sub Pop bands but I do like the look of those records, so it was cool to see Bitter Branches kind of pay tribute to them here.

While I thought the This May Hurt A Bit EP was pretty good, and I would give it the occasional spin, the two songs here are fucking great. Both Along Came A Bastard and Fraudulent have been getting repeat plays since this 7 inch arrived.

Shortly after receiving this 7 inch, I saw a pink vinyl pressing that someone had posted somewhere on the internet. It looked so good, and I was immediately tempted to rush out and pick it up as a second copy. Checking Discogs today, I see that the pink vinyl is limited to 18... so I guess I'll just stick with my splatter version.

2020 May Hurt A Bit

My tastes have been all over the map this year, and I've found myself bouncing from one obsession to the next on a weekly basis. There was a pretty decent stretch earlier in the summer when I could not get enough mid-90's hardcore. In there with Strife and Snapcase, I was also pulling out the Fixation On A Coworker album from Deadguy. I'd forgotten how great that record was. When I heard that the singer had a new band and they were releasing something in 2020, I was eager to see what Bitter Branches would deliver.

I was pretty excited for this Bitter Branches record. When the band posted that if you were one of the first 150 people to donate $5 or more for the bandcamp download of This May Hurt A Bit, you would get an exclusive offer for a limited pressing of the record. I hate paying for downloads, but I still jumped on it so that I wouldn't miss out on a chance for that limited pressing. Now I feel like a chump because the special screen printed cover ended up being limited to 300, and not 150, plus this thing is still available in the Atomic Action store. I guess I didn't need to jump in and throw money at that download offer. Fuck...if I wanted the more limited pressing, I apparently could have held out for the REVHQ exclusive color that was limited to 100.

Whatever. Either way, this silk screen cover and layout looks great..and the songs here are really cool as well. Comparisons to Deadguy and Kiss It Goodbye are inevitable as Tim Singer's voice is instantly recognizable and distinct.

Number 24 out of 300.