Post-punk quartet, Real Farmer, are back with RF II, a four-track blitz that proves these Dutch degenerates aren’t just making noise—they’re making moves. The debut LP, Compare What’s There, from last March is a tough follow-up, but this little EP hits like a steel-toed boot and still manages to croon, sneer, and shimmy its way into your bloodstream.
“Big Stepper” kicks the door in with that rubber-band bass snapping like it’s pissed off and caffeinated. Drums punch in like a time clock ready to explode, and then—boom—a guitar line slices through the muck as vocalist Jeroen and Marrit (who also rips on bass) jump into feversih vocal melodies. Melody in this barn? Believe it. “Hard Times” is a two-minute sermon for the disillusioned, barked out over a beat that sounds like it was assembled in a basement with a busted metronome and a case of beer. It’s punk, but not sloppy—tight like a snare drum wrapped in barbed wire.
By the time “Mislocated” rolls in, the band’s found their strut. The bass is practically dancing, and the guitar licks aren’t afraid to flirt with crunchy beauty. But don’t worry, it still sounds like it was recorded in a crumbling squat with mould on the amps. This song comes with a scratchy, psychedelic VHS cassette age music video from visual artist Héctor Garcia Martin, inspired by the “world falling apart and the feeling of leaving it behind.” The satellite ground station location gives the video a bygone, brutalist edge.
“Once More” ends the whole EP thing as a romantic and deranged swing. It’s got swagger. It’s the sound of a band realizing they don’t have to snarl all the time, but they can seduce, too. RF II is Real Farmer growing as a band, but not going soft. It’s post-punk with a pulse, a scuffed leather heart, and a snide grin. More of this, please.
