Young widows.

EVAN PATTERSON is no stranger to unique music. The Louisville native's experiences with National Acrobat, Black Cross, and Breather Resist have helped garner him quite the reputation when it comes to carving mind-bending, chaotic punk. But his freshest sonic excursion, Young Widows, unleashes his most original and starkly honest opuses to date. One cannot attribute all the credit to Patterson alone for the musical nitroglycerin contained on his group's debut, Settle Down City (Jade Tree). His partners, drummer Geoff Paton and bassist Nick Thieneman, act as a steamroller of a rhythm section who anchor the pulse-pounding ferocity unleashed by their group. With the low-end geared up to whip heads into a trance-like nodding motion, Patterson's guitar playing flavors the songs with equal amounts buzzsaw-style cacophony and melodic resonance, while his yelled vocals act akin to a fourth instrument, forging their own prodding, pleading route amidst the offbeat structure.

While Patterson has filleted his share of one-of-a-kind riffs in the past, there's something about the Settle Down City concoctions that leaves you nearly breathless in anticipation for more. Maybe it's the variety of tones on the record--ranging from brutal to ambient, rugged to polished--that pulls the listener in. Or maybe it's the crew's obvious confidence to explore any musical possibility that readily inspires.