Killed by 9v Batteries have been reviewed here before, when I likened them to punk shoegaze. Their new album, Escape Plans Make It Hard To Wait For Success, still has a little bit of that, particularly in “This City Is Lit When You’re On Top Of It,” which has a pulsating noise in the background that makes one feel like being drowned in the music. This song is so great, in fact, that it threatens to swallow the whole album.

But it doesn’t.

Austria’s best punk export, the band never disappoints. Even on comparatively more mellow tracks, like “Tell The People I’m In Bed With Fever ,” there is a raw aggression under their music that says shut-the-fuck-up-and-listen-to-me-KILL-this-shit! Escape Plans is the band’s best album so far because of its range—from angry, cymbal-smashing chainsaw punk to the nearly new wave sound of “Make Her Parties Unique,” this is a fantastic record that will probably be appearing on my best of ’09 list.

This City is Lit When You’re On Top Of It

AN OLDER SONG BY THE BAND!

Note All the Curses I Have Made

COOL COVERS BY 9v!

Like a Hurricaine-Killed by 9v Batteries.

Only Love Can Break Your Heart-Killed by 9v Batteries.

Old Man (Neil Young)