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Covert Contracts

by Control Top

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Surrealistic H. Sapiens
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Surrealistic H. Sapiens Powerful band, crunching guitars and vocals with a strong message. Also props to Emily Lazar for the superb mastering, making the record shine even more. Lots of dynamic and detail. Definitely one of the top post-punk releases of 2019. Favorite track: Straight Jackets.
Bert Olio
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Bert Olio The searing vox and crunching bass for me into this album, but the guitar playing and textures keeps me coming back. This isn't just the best punk rock album of 2019 (I know it's early but it's looking safe), Covert Contacts is one of the best guitar rock albums of all time. Favorite track: Betrayed.
g
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g saw them open for devouring mothers in sf. turned to my friend at the end of the set and said "i have to get their album immediately." Favorite track: Chain Reaction.
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1.
Type A 02:23
Type A Why do you have to be that way Type A There’s always something more to say Type A You always have to get your way Why don’t you get out Get out of my way The thought of chaos worries you Only your solution will do I see right through your power trip One loose screw and you will slip Static vision Cold precision Manic control Hands off my soul Who gave you the right to decide what’s right Your false authority is dreadful and boring me The thought of chaos worries you Only your solution will do I see right through your power trip One loose screw and you will slip Type A Why do you have to be that way Type A There’s always something more to say Type A You always have to get your way Why don’t you get out Get out of my way You always have to get your way The thought of chaos worries you Only your solution will do I see right through your power trip One loose screw and you will slip
2.
Office Rage 02:55
3.
Runaway chain reaction Burning up satisfaction Light the wick, pull the trigger What started small is getting bigger Ricochet downward spiral One more word and it goes viral Light the wick, pull the trigger What started small is getting bigger I'm looking for an open door But all I see is a broken mirror Do anything to prove you're right Lose everything to win the fight Light the wick, pull the trigger What started small is getting bigger No one likes to take the blame In the end, we're all the same Light the wick, pull the trigger What started small is getting bigger I'm looking for an open door But all I see is a broken mirror I can't take it anymore I wish I could disappear Runaway chain reaction Burning up satisfaction Light the wick, pull the trigger What started small is getting bigger I'm looking for an open door But all I see is a broken mirror I can't take it anymore I wish I could disappear
4.
Unapologetic 03:54
5.
6.
Paralyzed by endless information Too consumed to have imagination Non consensual infatuation Scrolling on and on until sedation Covert contracts I can’t relax Everything looks like a commercial It’s a brand to be controversial First step is to give up your attention Next step is to give up your intention Then one day you’re locked up for dissension It was all built into the invention Covert contracts I can’t relax Everything looks like a commercial It’s a brand to be controversial
7.
Betrayed 02:44
8.
Ego Deaf 02:11
9.
Traffic 01:30
10.
Prism 03:33
11.
Black Hole 02:00

about

Covert contracts rule our world: manipulative relationships, encoded social norms, opaque technologies. “With a covert contract, the trick is that the agreement is only known by the person who makes it,” says Ali Carter, singer and bassist of Philly post-punk trio Control Top. “The other person is oblivious. Consent is impossible. A void of communication opens up a world of misunderstanding.”

In an era of such impossibilities, Control Top—Carter with guitarist Al Creedon and drummer Alex Lichtenauer—rip open space for catharsis. Their explosive songs are a synthesis of varied interests and backgrounds: Carter’s innate sense of new wave melodies, Creedon’s sirening noise guitars, Lichtenauer’s feverish hardcore drumming.

On their debut full-length Covert Contracts, the songwriting is fully a collaboration of Carter and Creedon. Carter’s voice thumps and screams and deadpans while her driving, hooky basslines play out like guitar leads. Creedon, also the band’s engineer and producer, balances composition and chaos, equally inspired by pop and no-wave.

With her lyrics, Carter responds to feeling trapped and overwhelmed in a capitalist patriarchy, offering indictments of wrongdoing and abuse of power, odes to empathy and ego death, as well as declarations of self-determination.

These songs hit even harder when you consider how close this band came to not existing at all. Despite being involved in underground music communities for years, Carter didn’t start Control Top (her first band) until age 25. Disillusioned by punk, Creedon had all but abandoned guitar. But Control Top felt exciting, a chance to experiment: to rethink the relationship between guitar and bass and use samplers to add new dimensions. Meanwhile, Lichtenauer had quit playing drums after an abusive situation in a previous band that had ruined playing music for them, and joining Control Top was an opportunity for rebirth.

At once anthemic and chilling, Covert Contracts puts words to today’s unspoken anxieties. Brimming with post-punk poetry for 2019, it’s the sound of agency being reclaimed.

credits

released April 5, 2019

Covert Contracts was recorded and mixed in Philadelphia by Creedon (Priests, Pouty, Taiwan Housing Project) and Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs, Allison Crutchfield).

The album was mastered by Emily Lazar.

CONTROL TOP is:
Ali Carter - bass/vocals
Al Creedon - guitar
Alex Lichtenauer - drums

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