It’s been a while since we last featured 9 o’clock Nasty, the last time was at the top of the year for their art as activism, shining a light on the misgivings of Lee Iacocca, so when we heard that the subversive group was back on the full moon with Check the Neck, we couldn’t wait to hear what message they had for the world this time around!
Check the Neck opens with a cerebral guitar energy, cheeky laughs as ad-libs and assertive “yeah” and “let’s go” vocalizations. Metallic textures guide us further as the band invites us to “eat the beast” and raps, “It start with the eyes, check the neck” on loop like a trippy mantra.
The production is slick, always pushing new boundaries and we appreciate the concept of the track which serves as a commentary on the inevitable passage of time and the physical realities of ageing. It’s a visceral and eye opening analysis of our collective refusal to behave as though growing older means we must surrender our sense of fun. For some context, checking the neck is a vital step in assessing biological ageing because the skin here is significantly thinner, has fewer oil glands, and loses elasticity much faster than facial skin.
9 o’clock Nasty have decided to take the anxiety surrounding the decline of the human body and turn it into a gloriously absurd riot, asking us to confront the evidence of our mortality while getting completely lost in the music.
The sound design and final rap verse are stand-out moments of the track and kinda leave us yearning for more. What makes 9 o’clock Nasty such a fascinating proposition is their ability to make the absurd feel profound. They are clearly intelligent men who tap into their respective neotenous energies to bring us fun and conceptual thoughts through the medium of music.
We could imagine the track soundtracking a particularly unhinged sequence in The Substance, Bad Grandpa or even Trainspotting. Fans of The Prodigy, Death Grips, Soulwax and the more chaotic corners of punk and electronica music would be able to vibe with what 9 o’clock Nasty have created here.
Needless to say, we are in awe of the band’s continued refusal to behave. We have added Check the Neck to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we watch the epic VHS-style, psychedelic performance video for the song and continue to stream the wider discography of 9 o’clock Nasty, including 5 foot 2, Too Cool, and Crowland.