Germ House - Showing Symptoms - LP

Relocating to Las Cruces, New Mexico from his long-time stomping grounds of Boston, Justin Hubbard divided his time between raising a family with his wife (and band-mate, both former and current) Tara McManus (of Mr. Airplane Man & Turpentine Brothers) and seeding the local music scene with his two bands, Far Corners and this band right here - Germ House. “Showing Symptoms” is his debut recording under said moniker.

“Showing Symptoms” was mainly recorded by Hubbard himself at home in his ‘Three Fours’ studio and partially recorded by Resonars main man Matt Rendon at his ‘Midtown Island ’ studio in Tucson, Arizona, with McManus on drums. The area‘s arid climate has undeniably left its sunbaked imprint on the album’s ten tunes. Hubbard’s already skewed sonic sensibility; a deranged amalgam of candidly direct & distinctive melodies drizzled atop ragged, lo-fi punk testimonials. One can practically hear the speaker wires fraying loose as Hubbard wails thru spit-caked, vitriolic tunes like the burning “ I Can’t Stand Neon” and “Over-Under” or murmurs amid the taut, restless melodies of mellower tunes “Cold & Uptight” and the future-anthem “40 to Stay”; whose casual delivery is upset by an ear-piercing guitar solo. Herein lies the uncomfortable duality of Germ House’s album - a fascinating suite of tunes that are balancing with equal measure both the melodic and discordant. “Showing Symptoms” is pressed in an edition of 500 copies and includes a download code.

RIYL: Wire, Guided By Voices, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, Obnox