Written by Patrick McNamara

Tenement sounds like a black metal band. The name does. Not the band. Tenement, the three dudes band from Appleton, Wisconsin, sound like a band that makes short fuzzy garage punk songs - occasionally with nice harmonies. All clear then? Everything chill? No black metal here. No black metal at all.

So Tenement’s songs are quick and rough around the edges and often blast so quickly at you that it’s all over before your nose can even smell your own asshole (now idea what that means - or how that would even be physically possible, really). And you’ll have fun sweating and thrashing about to them, like you do when you see any good fuzzy garage punk band. But there’s something kinda sweet* about Tenement too. I guess it’s those occasional harmonies I mentioned. Or, the solid melodies that are not shouted as much as they are loudly crooned. But who knows where sweetness lies....except in each and EVERY ONE OF US.

(*listen, they’re not THAT sweet - Tenement’s latest record is called Puke & Destroy #2 - which means they’ve already puked and destroyed once - just a LITTLE sweet, is all - don’t want you to have the impression i’m describing donnie osmond or pat boone here - although i seem to remember pat boone had some weird black leather goth phase or something - must research wikipedia to be sure)

Tenement have 11 (!) different releases (most featuring two or three tracks in the two to three minute range) that you can enjoy on their Bandcamp page. I don’t know if Tenement have a “proper” label planning to release a “proper” record by them. But if they don’t, it’s the “proper” label who’s missing out and not the other way around.

As of this dynamic blob post, Tenement have a couple of shows scheduled with Screaming Females and Waxahatchee. I like those two bands too. Also, they should hook up some shows with similarly solid bands like Hector’s Pets and Warm Soda and Pop Zeus and Barreracudas too. (And I should let the bookers book and the blobbers blob.)



Tenement play a super solid all-around show at Lincoln Hall with Screaming Females and Waxahatchee, on Wednesday, September 25th.