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Oct 23, 2023 Web Exclusive By Mark Moody

No doubt the modern day post-punk has been a mainstay of British Isles based bands, with only a few notable American acts that could be described as purists. You can add Raleigh, North Carolina’s Truth Club alongside the likes of stateside heavyweight Protomartyr. The Travis Harrington-led quartet brings a notably heavier sound to their sophomore album, which is arriving four plus years after the group’s debut.

At its richest, Running From the Chase showcases tangles of instruments and voice on tracks like “Exit Cycle,” with fellow North Carolinian Indigo DeSouza joining in. The band’s other members (Yvonne Chazal—guitar, Elise Jaffe—drums, and Kameron Vann—bass) keep things tight even on the most laconic of tracks (“Break the Stones”). That song as well as racier moments found on the title track and “Blue Eternal” point to Pavement’s earlier albums. So much so that the grind out at the end of “Blue Eternal” feels it should give way to Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain’s “Cut Your Hair,” but instead yields to the moody angst of “77x.”

A tendency to veer away from the melodic keeps the listener on their toes and makes repeated visits to Running From the Chase all the more rewarding. The album also marks a notable departure for the band’s label, whose roster has historically fallen more in the indie folk realm. Here’s to hoping this pairing brings more of the band’s thorny constructs not too much further down the line. (www.truthclub.bandcamp.com)

Author rating: 7/10