Tenement – Bruised Music Volume Two

Bruised Music Volume Two is a singles, splits, EP’s and whatever the hell else we’ve released collection produced by Wisconsin trio Tenement. They are usually associated with the hardcore scene, however much of this sounds more like the kind of lo-fi fuzzy punk that the likes of Supercharger used to do so well. On your initial listen the first few tracks lull you into a false sense of security, you think you know what you’re going to get but by the time you’re half way through the album that idea has been well and truly stamped on.

Tenement have a reputation for experimentation, and that reputation is richly deserved on the basis of the collection. There are the expected sub two minute blasts of energy but these sit alongside tracks that would surprise anyone listening to this, probably including the band themselves. The six minute Wouldn’t Let You Go slows down the tempo of the album, Paper Airplanes sits like a parallelogram in a square hole on Bruised Music Volume Two and Jet Slug suggests they might enjoy some unspecified recreational substances when recording.

I always applaud a band who are willing to push the boundaries, incorporate new influences and include tracks that come out of leftfield, this assembly of mostly home recorded low key singles certainly does that. These compilations of singles, EP’s and rarities are always something of a mixed bag, but some bags are more mixed than others. Thankfully this one falls on the right side with it’s experimentation and occasional oddness sitting alongside the brief infectious fuzzy slabs of punk rock. It makes for an engaging anthology and at times it’s hard to believe this is all the work of the same band.