Steve Lieberman’s Meet the Gangsta Rabbi (44/82) Opus166 isn’t simply an album—it’s an unrelenting sonic occasion that grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. This five-track EP feels prefer it was born in a basement filled with feedbacking amps, overloaded four-tracks, and a gleeful disregard for conventional musical guidelines. It’s not for the faint of coronary heart or the informal listener, however for many who miss the uncooked chaos of early thrash-punk, this launch is a breath of distorted air.
WEBSITE: https://www.gangstarabbi.com/
The phrase “cacophony” doesn’t do that album justice—it’s pure, unfiltered noise, layered with distorted bass, wailing flutes, and Lieberman’s trademark vocal type that teeters between shouted declarations and half-swallowed mutterings. On the floor, it’s straightforward to dismiss as a multitude of sound, however that’s the place the genius of Lieberman lies. He’s a grasp of chaos, making a meticulously disorganized soundscape that feels just like the closest factor trendy music has to pure insurrection.
Let’s face it: mainstream punk, if it exists anymore, is a pale shadow of its former self. Positive, there are a number of bands retaining the spirit alive in underground scenes, however what passes as “punk” on the radio usually feels sanitized and polished for simple digestion. Lieberman is the antithesis of that. His work is unapologetically abrasive, too loud, and not possible to pin down—a stark reminder of what punk was all the time meant to be: uncooked, offended, and not possible to disregard.
In some ways, Lieberman’s work looks like a non secular cousin to thrashy legends like Black Flag and Lifeless Kennedys, albeit with a unique twist. Tracks like “Skinheads in My Yard Oy Vey Entr’acte 176” pound the listener with relentless noise, pushed by Lieberman’s distorted bass and frenetic flute interjections. There’s no melody to carry onto, no comforting hook to information you thru—it’s simply pure, visceral sound. The track looks like a center finger geared toward every little thing formulaic in trendy music.
The album’s opener units the tone with its manic power and barely-contained rage. Lieberman’s voice cuts by the combination like a knife dulled by overuse—abrasive, uneven, and fully charming. The lyrics are nearly not possible to make out, however that solely provides to the appeal. In true punk trend, they’re secondary to the power of the supply.
On “Gangsta Rabbi (Entr’acte 173),” the EP’s centerpiece, Lieberman leans even more durable into the chaos. The distorted bass and screeching flutes battle for dominance whereas the vocals turn out to be one more layer of noise. Listening to this observe is like being dropped into the center of a riot—it’s overwhelming, disorienting, and not possible to show away from.
“5 Little Puppies – Entr’acte 171” takes the noise-punk ethos to absurd heights. It’s like somebody set a blender off with no lid, and your smoothie has gone horribly (and fantastically) mistaken, with Lieberman’s off-kilter instrumentation delivering a mixture of pressure and humor. It’s not possible to not be each bewildered and impressed by the audacity.
Closing observe “Followers, Auditors and Hoes – Entr’acte 167” is maybe essentially the most aggressive track on the EP. It’s a pounding, disjointed wall of sound that feels just like the logical conclusion to every little thing Lieberman has constructed as much as. By the point it ends, you’re left in shocked silence, questioning what you simply skilled.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t music for a soothing night at dwelling or a street journey playlist. It’s loud, abrasive, and infrequently overwhelming. But it surely’s additionally refreshing, a reminder of the sheer energy of music that doesn’t care about being favored. For somebody who usually leans towards extra structured and melodic sounds, this EP was a shocking delight. It’s not the sort of music I’d attain for day-after-day, however there’s one thing undeniably charming about Lieberman’s refusal to evolve.
Meet the Gangsta Rabbi (44/82) Opus166 isn’t an album, it’s a press release. In a world the place punk has usually been stripped of its enamel, Steve Lieberman reminds us what it means to be actually rebellious. It’s messy, chaotic, and unapologetically loud, and for that, it deserves to be celebrated. For followers of noise-punk, thrash, or anybody eager for one thing actually unfiltered, this EP is crucial listening. Lieberman will not be everybody’s cup of tea, however he’s precisely what punk wants proper now.
Mindy McCall
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