Album Review: The Sess - Agendumb

Here we are again. For your favorite segment of all time... album reviews. In this installment, I'm going old school. I'm going way, way, waaay back to 2008. During this time, eons ago, I attended The Sess' record release show at an art gallery in San Diego and soon after that I was hooked.

Who are The Sess?

The Sess are (left to right):

• Andrew Montoya (drums)
• Aldo Bustos (keyboards, organ)
• Sam Rivera (guitar, vocals)
• Jeremy Rojas (guitar, vocals)
• Mark Rivera (bass, vocals)

The Sess are a high-energy garage punk band from San Diego, CA. Their live shows were rowdy. Their music was fast. And they knew how to have a good time on stage. In 2008, however, they disbanded. Since then, they've formed new groups such as Northern Tigers, Ale Mania, Beaters, and Shiva Trash. Just recently, though, I attended their reunion show at the Soda Bar on New Year's Eve. It was their first show in seven years and it was glorious. My New Year's Ever party had come to a screeching halt before the ball dropped so I begged my girlfriend to come with me to the show. We parked and as the clock hit midnight we were walking from our car to the venue. As soon as we walked in could tell it was going to be a great night.

My thoughts on Agendumb

Agendumb is their remarkable debut album. The record opens up with an eerie cacophony of indiscernible audio backed up by gothic instrumentals. "Sheep City" comes in with trebly guitars and the entire band chanting, "I don't need anything." The song slowly transitions into a garage blues punk track. "Silly for Sirius" follows suit with high energy, guitar feedback, and some of the best drumming I've ever heard. "Fuck the Navy" is one of my favorites off the album mainly because of the song title but also because of how raw and catchy it is. The album also features "Mary" which is a song from their Take a Chance EP. They cover The Remains' "Don't Look Back" to a T. "Wisdom Tooth Gumbs" follows suit in pure chaos song form. "Tunnel Love" is one of my favorite songs just because it's so catchy. I remember going to their shows and everyone sang along and it felt like a big party.

In Conclusion

I realize most of the post was me glorifying The Sess and their debut album but they deserve nothing less. They changed my entire music taste, my view on art, and how I enjoyed life. So, this post is more subjective than objective but to be honest, no one's opinion/review/view on life is entirely objective so why not just go all the way with it. It's always hard for me to describe their sound because its an amalgam of blues, soul, punk, garage, and more. Listen for yourself on their bandcamp and get a free digital download of Agendumb.

Have you ever listened to this band? What do you think of them? Who's your favorite band/musician and why? Let me know in the comments below.