'68Two Parts Viper

Since 2013, the American rock duo that is ‘68—frontman and guitarist Josh Scogin (ex-Norma Jean, ex-The Chariot) and percussionist Michael McClellan—have kept their sound as elemental as possible, eschewing lavish studio enhancements over raw, primal fury. Their debut record, 2014’s In Humour and Sadness, laid the groundwork for frantic and impassioned rock fusion, with a recipe that’s almost painfully stripped-back: bombastic drum hits, screeching feedback, sky-splitting riffs, and schizoid, ‘I-just-chewed-through-my-straight-jacket’ vocals.

On their second album, Two Parts Viper, the Atlanta, Georgia twosome broaden their instrumental approach with dashes of folk, country and grunge, against lyrical themes that spiral down a rabbit-hole of self-doubt, scornful reflection and spiritual renewal. The album’s opening salvo sports full-throttle garage rock (Eventually We All Win) and infectious lo-fi grooves (Whether Terrified or Unafraid), while tracks like Without Any Words (Only Crying and Laughter) pay significant homage to Bleach-era grunge, with Scogin’s lyricism echoing Kurt Cobain’s solemn reflection on musical legacy (“I hope you hear my song/I’d rather burn out than to fade away”).

Things get interesting when Scogin splices an Arlo Guthrie-inspired, spoken-word monologue amongst the crashing riffs of No Apologies, but it’s the melodic undercurrents that surface from the cryptic depths of The Workers Are Few and Death Is A Lottery that truly stand out, when ’68 let hope punctuate tales of woe and loss. With confident experimentation and unbridled energy, Two Parts Viper is a shot of venom right into the heart of complacent alternative music. It may only be album #2, but it seems that ’68 are just sharpening their fangs.

STICK THIS NEXT TO: The Chariot, Nirvana, Royal Blood
STANDOUT TRACKS: Death Is A Lottery, Without Any Words (Only Crying and Laughter), No Apologies

Two Parts Viper is available now through Good Fight/Cooking Vinyl Australia

’68 are touring nationally this July and select tour dates can be found below:

THURSDAY 20 JULY – ENIGMA BAR, ADELAIDE 18+
FRIDAY 21 JULY – NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE 18+
SATURDAY 22 JULY – THE BASEMENT, CANBERRA 18+
SUNDAY 23 JULY – OXFORD ART, SYDNEY 18+
MONDAY 24 JULY – SMALL BALLROOM, NEWCASTLE 18+
WEDNESDAY 26 JULY – CROWBAR, BRISBANE 18+

Tickets available here.