Tonguecutter Releasing Debut Album ‘Minnow’ May 2nd via Learning Curve Records

Learning Curve Records announces the May 2nd release of Minnow, the debut full-length album by Tonguecutter.

A power trio hailing from the remote lakeshore town of Muskegon, Michigan, Tonguecutter initiates a spectacular collision of thrash and grunge on its debut full-length Minnow. Meaty riffage and sly rhythmic shifts lay a base over which vocalist/guitarist Chantal Roeske lets loose an irradiant display of angst. The jubilant riffage of Suicidal Tendencies, the progressive bent of Voivod, and the almighty howling rage of Hole are all present. But the real greatness lies in Roeske’s melodic sensibility, as a singer and songwriter, with each song taking unexpected twists and blooming with unforeseen hooks.

The album’s opener and first single, “Urgency,” opens with grumbling bass, uppercutting drums, and a bouncing riff that might easily boost the global sale of Pepsi this year. Roeske then takes charge with a voice that commands like the best wailers of the grunge era, culminating in a powerhouse six-second scream that sends the song into a new dimension of odd-time signatures and mesmerizing melodies. Casual listeners might have no idea that the band has cruised discreetly from 12/8 to 11/4 to 5/8 to 7/8, but they will certainly feel the power of Chantal’s soaring voice in their chests as she brings the song toward its heart-melting conclusion.

Reflecting on “Urgency,” Roeske states:

“Last year we had a chemical spill in Muskegon and it inspired us to write this song about escaping chemical warfare.”

Her lyric, “Pull me out of it before we get sick,” delivered with maximum conviction and repeated twice, is especially haunting in the context of the song’s story.

“Urgency,” along with the other ten songs on Minnow, reveal Roeske to be a rare musical talent with a fully-formed aesthetic. While it is initially shocking that a debut album could be this good, Roeske has in fact been honing her craft in relative obscurity for decades.

Tonguecutter ‘Minnow’ album artwork

She gives a glimpse at the long road that led here, as she discusses the mix of influences that initially fueled her more than 30 years ago:

“I started my first band as a teenager in 1994, with influences like DRI, Anthrax, and Babes in Toyland. It was fast as hell but had a lot of grunge and riot grrrl flavour. Guitar was always really important for me. I loved bands like Seven Year Bitch and L7. I’ve been a Pixies and Breeders fan since the beginning of time too. Kim Deal is the reason I picked up a guitar.”

In Tonguecutter, Roeske is flanked by two strapping collaborators – bassist Addison Eilers and drummer Cam Polidan – whose muscular playing provides the perfect foundation on which to build. The three are proud to be part of a thriving Michigan scene that includes bands such as Cloud Rat, Bronson Arm, and Them Teeth and, despite occasional chemical spills, they have pride in their hometown, a municipality containing less than 40,000 people and a surprising wealth of punk lore.

Roeske declares:

“Muskegon is the jam. It’s gritty, real, and accessible. It might be small but the people here are legit and authentic. We have an incredibly beautiful lakeshore on Lake Michigan. We’ve got quite a punk legacy here with legendary clubs like The Ice Pick whose owner played drums in GG Allin’s band. And Iggy Pop was born here in 1947!”

Minnow was recorded and mixed at Analog Time Machine and mastered by Bronson Arm’s Blake Bickel at Dynamic Sound Service. Also making an appearance on the album is Something Is Waiting frontman Eddie Gobbo, who lends his unmistakably sassy, snarling vocals to the track “Antipode.”

Minnow Track Listing:

1. Urgency
2. Dust Collector
3. Tupperware Party
4. Big Ol’ Tree
5. Minnow
6. Do You Play Leads
7. RATAP
8. Bitch Ass Energy
9. Antipode
10. Yarn Horse
11. Bone to Pick