THE PARANOIDS
Obsessions Delusions and Head Trips, vol. I - III
(self-released)

The Paranoids, from San Francisco, recently completed the third CD of their Obsessions Delusions and Head Trips trilogy of EPs. Put together, these 19 self-recorded songs are a rendering of the contrasts between those living in the blighted poverty of the drug and booze infested downtown, and the privileged young people to whom the world is merely a playground. The two demographics seem worlds apart but under singer/bassist Damon Larson’s keen lyricism, the differences melt away to show that neither of these bankrupt lifestyles will satisfy their hunger. It’s a worldview where the gutters of Sixth Street and the suburban sidewalks run together in a frenzy of selfishness. Over the course of the CDs, as we hear the tales of these hopeless characters, we also hear the Paranoids spiral towards a musical style wholly their own.

Part I begins with a boogie rock track called “Grand Society” that calls out our culture’s obsessions with false idols. This is one of the more bombastic songs of the trilogy, which overall is typified by dark lurching grooves, slow tempos, and a minor feel that give the songs a slate grey coloration. The first CD also includes one of their catchiest songs, “Silicon Lifestyle,” where guitarist Lenin’s plucky guitars, drummer Elliot’s swinging beat, and a synth-heavy hook create a synth/dance punk style similar to the Faint. On “Everything We Need” they retain that style, but make it sludgier, with spidery guitar work interlocking with the bass while Damon sings about “the fucking undesirables down on 6th street.” Then, on “Suburban Revolution,” Damon’s vitriol turns to those who feel insulated from the decrepitude and vices of the city, and threatens that when “this punk rock living has us dissatisfied / the lazy crusaders may eventually rise.” Part I has a grimy downward closing, like watching the sky turn black over concrete buildings.

Part II starts with my favorite jam of the trilogy, “Summertime.” Here the boys are hitting their stride with Lenin alternating between jangley chords and deep echoing tones while Elliot shakes things up with a triplet drum beat and Damon’s bass pulses like the white dashes on the highway. The boys even hit a couple falsetto whoops that really seal the deal for me. The energy stays up for the next track, “The Beast,” a bluesy swinging tune that addresses the role of self-determination in situations of drug and alcohol addiction. At the end, the song morphs into a creaky, waltzing piano ballad where Damon sounds like a circus sideshow hype man from the 1930s. On “The Proposal” the Paranoids start moving towards a new phase of epic Led Zepplin-style song writing. Lenin’s lengthy guitar riff forces Elliot to play an off kilter shimmy-shimmy-pop groove that makes this song bounce and swing like crazy. Part II ends with “The Death,” a Jesus and Mary Chain sort of dirgey, reverb-drenched tune with a grinding underbelly of menacing, buzzing synths. Damon asks if we’re facing the death of a culture and the song ends with a ghostly rattling sound effect.

Part III opens with that same sound effect, and the boys hit their hardest riffage yet. We’re treated to a brief sing-along pop chorus that lifts the heaviness for a few moments, but the momentum is strong and they jam out well past the 10 minute mark. “Ballad of the Golden Kids” is a two-part song. In the first part, Lenin leads the band with an arpeggio guitar line that sounds like an extremely ominous version of Chicago’s “Color My World.” On the second part, they return to the hard rock with a backwards-sounding riff that burns like a fever. As the song progresses the riff begins to come undone and the song opens up, the pressure eases and Lenin begins winding his guitar lines upwards, chiming optimistically, striving. But the song cuts out without a resolution. At this point in the trilogy, we know better than to hope for a happy ending to the story. “The Parade” is another favorite of mine. Ironically titled, the groove is more like a funeral procession than a celebration. On Part III, the Paranoids have dialed in their lurching funk and blues sound so that even when they turn upbeat, like on “Unicorn Song Resurrected” with its sing-along and fast tempo, it’s the sound of a party in a wasteland. For the closing track of the trilogy, “The Candle,” the boys give us a gorgeous and sad waltz under a candlelit chandelier on a creaky dance floor with the distant sound of an unsettled conflict pulsing in our minds.

Each of the CDs easily stands on its own, and I would recommend picking up all three. My only critique is that I wish they had brought in a little more of the raucous party feeling sometimes present in their music, which echoes their earlier work on The Party’s Over EP (2004). But they do an amazing job of sticking to their concept. Putting out a compilation of CDs that accumulate to a larger idea is something lots of bands talk about doing but very few seem to have the focus and stamina to execute.

[Jeff Bissell]

 [STREAM] The Paranoids: "The Grand Society" , "Silicone Lifestyle"