Album #289: USA Nails – Character Stop

• Released: 2020
• Origin: London, England
• Label: HEX
• Best Track: I Don’t Own Anything

I’m not sure how I’ve never heard USA Nails before. Their new album Character Stop, which I think is their fifth, dropped yesterday.

USA Nails are from London despite their name, and in fact singer Steven Hodson sounds like he’s a Northerner, especially with his pronunciation of “worry” on the opening track.

Anyway, I’m enjoying this record a lot. The guitars have this raw buzz to them, especially on the first two tracks ‘Revolution Worker’ and the roaring ‘I Don’t Own Anything’.

With its often abstract yet though-provoking and pertaining lyrics, especially on spoken word tracks ‘How Was Your Weekend?’ and ‘Wallington’, this is troubled, agitated post-punk arriving in timely fashion.