Mallwalker - Rough Patch

I didn’t plan for this to happen, but for the second consecutive month the subject of the Vinyl Word is directly because of Gonerfest 21.

No, Mallwaker was not another band that turned in an unexpected live set.
No, Mallwaker wasn’t on the bill — unfortunately that was an impossible feat — and if Mallwaker was on Gonerfest 21, greatness would have been expected.

Let me take us back to the last day of Gonerfest 21. It’s a beautiful late September Sunday afternoon in Memphis with the peacefulness of the real world being on hold for one more day before I start my return trip home to Green Bay and the end of my vacation.

It was pretty late in the afternoon and I was socializing in the merch area for the bands of Gonerfest.

I had already exceeded my vacation budget for expenditures on band records, compact discs, cassettes, posters and t-shirts.

I also had space considerations for the trip home: the backpack I had this year had less storage room and I never fly with checked luggage, so if something doesn’t fit into the backpack it doesn’t go.

I worked around this by the kindness of the Rev. Norb, who took a bag full of records, compact discs, cassettes and a poster for me back in the automobile he drove to Memphis in.

Norb had departed Gonerfest 21 by this time late in the afternoon so I basically could not buy another album, but I still decided to take a peak at what little was left of the merch one last time and maybe kick some tires.
Sauntering around, I come up to a table way in the back and took a look at the album on the table.

The band was Mallwalker and I did an instant double take.

My mind went, “Hey isn’t that Sarah Danger’s band?”

I quickly flipped it over to see Sarah and bass player Sienna Cureton-Mahoney on the back cover.

Okay, I didn’t know this album existed.

Stacy Ellen Rich from Sex. Tape. Records informed me it had just become a finished product and it just went on sale.

Not purchasing this was out of the question because the world sadly lost Sarah Danger in late 2022.

Sarah Danger, former MC at Gonerfest, was one of my friends whose tales of and exploits at past Gonerfests was one of the reasons I finally decided to go to Gonerfest.

My first Gonerfest was 19 and sadly that was Sarah’s last Gonerfest (she has been at the past two Gonerfests in spirit I assure you).
So I felt it was so weird and appropriate that I purchased Rough Patch at a Gonerfest.

Stacy, from the label, told me Sarah got to hear the test pressing before she passed.

Drop the needle on Rough Patch and brace yourself for a sonic punch in the face.

Sarah and Sienna with Evan Splain on guitar and Zach Inscho on drums all put on brass knuckles before heading into Big Arm Studios to record this freight train.

My first thoughts listening to this album are of the Lunachicks mixed with the Cro-Mags with the urgency of early die Kreuzen.

I love loud, hardcore music that is screaming at you with youthful energy and the knowledge that the younger generation probably is more with it than you are.

Sarah Danger, in her short time on this planet, was a force of nature and you can hear her roar throughout this album.

My favorite bangers on this album are “Taker,” “Parent Trap,” “Sh*t Talk,” “Wet Spot,” “Hunt You Down,” “Delete,” “Phase,” “Tube Disaster,” “Spell it Out” and “Hot for You.”

This album will be soon in stock at the Green Bay UFO Museum Gift Shop and Records and would look great under any Christmas tree.

PS: Andy Junk fit this album in his luggage since my backpack was full, saving the day and allowing this review to happen.

Happy holidays everyone!