MUSIC
Government Plates BY JETHRO JA MON
I
almost expected no music to come out as soon as I pressed play on Government Plates. Over the last couple of years, Death Grips have found
multiple ways to piss everyone off: Whether it’s leaking their major-label funded album on the internet or just not showing up for their own show. Then, with little to no fanfare, they show up with Government Plates to remind you that these guys make music. And to show for it, the album is an assault on your eardrums, a blitzkrieg of riffs and hooks.
The opener, You might think he loves you for your money but I
know what he really loves you for it’s your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat kicks of with the sound of shattering glass and a siren to pull you into the Death Grips party. MC Ride once again yells a barrage of unintelligible lines one after the other, sounding as paranoid and psychotic as ever. Zach Hill drums like a ridiculous madman as Flatlander pushes the song’s groove with his thick, harsh synths.
Government Plates still has a lot of the basic dynamics of the band
that drew fans in droves, but this time, they shift their focus on the production. There are songs here that find MC Ride taking a step back and allowing Hill and Flatlander to try different rhythms and textures. Some of these are interesting explorations of Death Grips’ sound, while some come off as half-finished ideas. This is Violence Now (Dont get me wrong) and
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