Child Bite

Is it allowed for a scrappy post-punk band weaned on Mr. Bungle, Kill Rock Stars, and Mountain Dew to issue a concept album based on various stories of Greek mythology, set to the tune of a bunch of mad scientists sticking light sabers inside the pickups of their guitars? Take one spin through Child Bite’s relentless new Fantastic Gusts of Blood, and we dare ya to tell them “no.” In fact, we dare you to to try and tell this band how to do anything at all.

From the start, Detroit’s Child Bite have been nothing less than ambitious; any attendee of their recent CD release show for Gusts will certainly attest to that (if you weren’t there, you missed out on serpent-armed monsters and the bursting of a giant white balloon they called “the deep egg”). It’s that “Aw-fuck-it, of course we can put out three albums a year, dress all of our friends up as giant eyeballs, and still hold down our day jobs” type of attitude that have earned Child Bite a rightful spot as one of Detroit’s bands to watch. But that age old debate always looms over the heads of bands who draw from bizarre inspiration, and that completely own live; can they replicate the hysteria on record?

Gusts‘ first track, “Venom Bowl, Kids Guts,” should erase any speculation that they can’t. With siren-sounding keyboards and singer Shawn Knight’s by-now-signature yowl, spluttering all over the track like spaz-rock vomit, the song signals the Child Bite method: Things are atonal enough to where you could never say they’re a pop band, but little shards of melody sneak up here and there, sticking into your neck in an oddly pleasuring manner. Many moments on Gusts continue in this tradition, with tracks like “Never-Ending Mountain Slammer” (must have missed that story in Greek Mythology 101), “Banana Gorgon” and “Jewels Rules” getting rad with sound effects, jagged guitar jabs, and arty time changes. But the band never neglects solid hooks, even if they come from unlikely sources. Carefully constructed basslines (heard best in the elastic workout of “In The Bathouse”), weird-beard keys, squiggly saxophone; they all deliver just as rewardingly as would one of those soaring Coldplay choruses. It just depends how you’re listening. And if you think they’ve gone soft, check out the Shellac-y “White Bull From the Sea” or the caffeinated “Barracouta Mouth,” and you’ll think otherwise. And yeah, we’ve blabbered about the Bite a billion times on our site, but when you have a band this good skronking around in your own backyard, we dare anybody to ignore it. In fact, we double dare ya. - Detour-Mag.com

Human hands clap simultaneously with a computer blip, then you fall into pandemonium. The synthesizer’s oscillating banshee wail pushes like a fight song, introducing a driving, almost menacingly-toned guitar riff over tightly locked percussion at breakneck speed. The tones bend upward, but somehow agreeably, and the synth starts to scream along with its master, singer Shawn Knight.

Child Bite’s music is refreshing, like a skivvies-dive into ice water; there’s really nothing that sounds like it, yet it culls from familiar spices (metal, punk, noise), specifically jarring musical sensibilities. It sweetens with irrepressible funk grooves and pop-style hooks, with shout-along choruses. A distinct, unshakable bass-n-drums foundation acts as designated driver to spasmodic guitar noodling, synthesized napalm and quavering, howled vocals reinterpreting fables and legends from Greek mythology. Here, the local quintet is percolated at all points with fiery electronics, pounding percussion, hooky guitars, bouncing bass lines and adroit saxophone/brass enhancements. The sound is full, warm and invigorating, melodies waiver, sometimes wildly. A poignant demolition derby packed in perfectly.

5 stars - Real Detroit Weekly

"Spastic rock not unlike Brainiac and Deerhoof. Fully frantic and at times trying, Gold Thriller is an energizing art-rock primer for the band's upcoming full-length." - Paste Magazine

"...the band has shown that it can fit right in with some of the leading post-punk acts of the past few years. Yeah, there's some humor but this isn't a simple joke band. Add to that recommendation that the disc's packaging is artful (inlaid cardboard, complete with pocket for liner notes) and you have a winner of a release." - Delusions of Adequacy

"...monolithic riffs and playful whoops. The hooks are still there, but its subtlety takes this album to another place." - Paper Thin Walls

"Child Bite serves up tweaked out everything with a tasteful side of ballsy energy." - Verbicide

"Fuzzy bass and a vocalist who sounds like he is conjuring the spirit of David Byrne via the Blood Brothers. Loud, abrasive, and stirring." - Smother

"The line between post-punk experimentation and becoming inaccessible is a line that must be walked lightly. For the most part Child Bite don't overstep this line completely...Gold Thriller ends up providing a memorable and creative entry into the world of dancy post-punk/indie music. Although even a few missteps on an EP can spell disaster for a band, Child Bite escape this by the sheer strength of the songs that do work. If the words "dancy" or "indie" scare you, Child Bite is still worth a listen anyways because of their dissonance and sense of humour." - PunkNews.org

"...video game synth bleep like some hidden vampire club out of Castlevania, and a soft-stuttering percussion that all builds to a freakout worthy of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs." - Pop Matters