Old Haunts
Issue #35
Poisonous Times Kill Rock Stars
By Kim Newman
Published: March 1st, 2008 | 1:47pm
On their latest album, Poisonous Times, Olympia, Washington’s Old Haunts might want to consider lithium. It could help the mood disorder that veers from extreme highs to intense lows that punctuates the record. The music, an aggressive and gnarly garage rock with hints of country music, is frenetic and jumpy until suddenly all that energy is squashed and Old Haunts break into a stripped, indolent dirge.
“Hung Up On the Downside” is a sparse track, featuring guitar, self-loathing, and Craig Extine’s reedy moan about “spit[ting] out what you hate in yourself.” And just as suddenly, Poisonous Times returns to a singular loud and sprawling punk until the mood peaks again.
It’s as if the trio — vocalist-guitarist Extine, bassist Scott Seckington, and drummer Tobi Vail (ex–Bikini Kill) — is undecided about their sound (rock or alt-country?) and are looking to emulate a band like the Grifters. But while the Grifters had a special bluesy wall of distortion, Old Haunts is searching for its own identity. Too bad they don’t capitalize more on Poisonous Times’ highs, restless guitars, and sludgy Pacific Northwest bass.
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