Bare Mattress - Don't Complain / Don't Explain - Tape (2016)

Labels: Tye Die Tapes
Review by: Andy Malcolm

Bare Mattress is a person called Hans who was in Self Defense Family. This does not sound like SDF. It’s some bleak electro post punk, I suppose it’s like how a band called Bare Mattress probably should sound if you were asked to start a band with this name. My reference for this is Antarctica rather than some cool band you are into, sorry. Because I mentioned Antarctica I have to also include the phrase: glacial soundscapes. It’s in my contract. Actually on “Balance Zero” this guy sounds well Eric Richter, which completely justifies my otherwise hopeless flailing around looking for some useful words I can say about this frankly rather good collection of songs that I wish I could listen to in my car except my car gave up the ghost and had to be destroyed a few weeks back and now I have no tape deck and ride the bus to work listening to podcasts about computer games or Adam Buxton talking to other middle aged white men that he is friends with.

This is music that you are supposed to listen to whilst driving through Germany on the way to a gig in Dresden whilst it’s snowing. I know that because one time we listened to Der TPK under those exact conditions. That was a very quiet and sombre 30 minutes. Afterwards we put on the Unlovables “Crush*Boyfriend*Heartbreak”.