(photos by David Fox)

Water Damage – ‘Two Songs’ (12XU 141-1)
out June 2, 2023

More Water! More Damage! The second proper LP by this Texan juggernaut is even more biggerer than the first, a head-drowning pair of new “reels” (every Water Damage tracks generally take up a reel of tape, hence the “reel ____” song titles) that makes you feel like you’re swimming in a sun-drenched river of sound. Two drummers, two bassists, and tons of vibrating strings are once again a recipe for massive rocking-drone fires.

“Two Songs” has two songs, and they’re kind of the yin/yang of Water Damage: one toned very low, growling and roaring, groaning over a beat, while the other hums high, troubling the treble clef and ringing like a bunch of church bells that don’t want to be in church. They’re more alike than different though, divining momentum from repetition, flying forward by staying in place, climbing a mountain that they’re building as they go.

Enough ink has already been spilled about the previous-band pedigrees of the players in this hurtling collective, and by this point, the past seems way less relevant than the present when it comes to Water Damage’s present-pounding sound. These people know what they’re doing, sure. You don’t need a resume in front of you to figure that out. It’s there in every second of this gigantic, eternal music – in all the strings being bowed, the skins being slammed, the rumbles being rumbled.

You might notice that this time around, Water Damage haven’t just given their tracks reel numbers. They’re also called “Fuck This” and “Fuck That.” I take that as instructional. Whatever you’re doing, whatever you’re fretting about, whatever someone’s trying to use to occupy your attention so you’ll buy something or vote for something or ignore something: Fuck This. Fuck That. Listen to Water Damage. – Marc Masters

Water Damage is Mari Maurice, Thor Harris, Nate Cross, George Dishner, Travis Austin, Mike Kanin, Greg Piwonka, Jeff Piwonka

Engineered by Max Deems at Diseased Tapes Billion Dollar Studios. Mixed by Travis Austin.

Mastered and lacquers cut by Carl Saff. Art and design by Greg Piwonka.