Four years after they went all the way to Antarctica, Flat
Worms are back in gen pop with the rest of us- but, as
intoned on the album opener "Sigalert," "back again like I
never was." Is this a nod to the way time passes over our
sorely vexed synapses? Or are we to believe that there's
hope to be found in this broken world? Kick back with
Witness Marks and see what other traces Flat Worms
have left us in the dust.
The album title alone leaves a foreboding impression.
But look closer-"witness marks" aren't something out of
a forensic analysis-they're actually practical; scratches
placed in old clocks designed to aid continued maintenance
further in time.
Sure, there's big questions and more on the board; pri-
marily if we're at all distinct from the absurdity coming
down around us, or just another character in the mirror?
Flat Worms are looking inward this time, outlining personal
space in relation to themselves and others-sometimes
even people they barely know. Among the slabs of slate-
grey outrage, the flowers of compassion are blooming, and
the simmering power of their trio grows exponentially.
Working once again with Ty Segall, Flat Worms con-
tinue to find new answers by digging into themselves and
playing their kind of rock: hard and flat, bass and drums
thrusting stalwartly forward with conviction, guitar twisting
and spinning in outrage, deadpan vocals decrying a dire set
of circumstances.
The democracy of working together, so often messy
and frustrating, was found to be a powerful release for
Justin, Tim and Will. Acting as one, Flat Worms navigated
challenging times by coming together, finding release in
the clockwork repetitions of practice and the shared cre-
ative space they occupied together against the encroaching
world.
In the short century of their existence, Flat Worms have
agitated against the status quo with a disquieting lyric
bent, to emphasize the psychosis of the times. These are
positions taken within songs, sung out to individuals in the
world. As evidenced by the lyrics,
"But I know I can always see you at the show Even
though it's only temporary and it's time to go."
...Witness Marks surveys an evolving sense of community.
Flat Worms are dedicated to persevering and using the
power of their collective. Come witness!