I just got back from a walk to the market, and it's a rainy and dreary morning here in the SF Mission. I'm a huge fan of clear blue skies and warm sun, but sometimes the gloomy grey climate feels appropriate for my puffy-eyed morning mood, especially when paired with the right punk EP. AGEN 53's sole EP has just the right amount of coldness found in many of my favorite German punk bands from the 80's, but with upbeat driving rhythms to keep it from being considered anything close to deathrock or gothy. The instrumentation is superb - bumbling basslines rumble up front while the guitar is set back in the mix, sort of creating a dark backdrop for the whole sound. The vocals are rarely tuneful, mostly a constant monotone blabbering, but not without a strong hook here and there. Overall it's a really interesting and overlooked EP. They also had a couple tracks on the totally essential Keine Experimente II compilation, and a 12" in 1988 (that I'd like to hear!). This one just feels right today, until the fog burns off...
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