KGFREEZE
Scapegoat
self-released
“Backed myself into another corner again,” Kyle Gervais sings on Scapegoat, his third album as KGFREEZE. This is more than just a lyric. Almost every choice the Fort Kent native makes here comports with the way a cornered animal behaves. This is frazzled, urgent rock music, informed by punk’s immediacy, metal’s chaotic hum, and the power-pop thrust of the first two Foo Fighters records. Gervais does not take a breather – Scapegoat is only 24 minutes and change. As a result, we have not only the catchiest effort in the KGFREEZE canon, but also the most consistent. After making a name for himself last decade as a member of Cosades and Grand Hotel, Gervais entered an experimental phase, incorporating elements of hip hop and synthetic soft rock into his compositions. As a result, his first two KGFREEZE albums are adventurous, clever, and uneven. Who knows what inspired him to blow it all up and just shred (I’m picturing a raven-headed god in a dream), but Scapegoat is propelled by a new energy. Once essentially a one-man show, KGFREEZE is now a full band – guitarist Nate Carll, bassist Jason Engler and drummer Chris Gervais – whose discipline and propulsive energy are key to realizing Kyle Gervais’ feedback-drenched vision. They might be backed into a corner, but damn are they making good use of the space.
— Joe Sweeney
KGFREEZE plays SPACE Gallery on July 28.
