Steve Lieberman’s Meet the Gangsta Rabbi (44/82) Opus166 isn’t simply an album—it’s an unrelenting sonic occasion that grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. This five-track EP feels prefer it was born in a basement filled with feedbacking amps, overloaded four-tracks, and a gleeful disregard for conventional musical guidelines. It’s not for the faint of coronary heart or the informal listener, however for individuals who miss the uncooked chaos of early thrash-punk, this launch is a breath of distorted air.
WEBSITE: https://www.gangstarabbi.com/
The phrase “cacophony” doesn’t do that album justice—it’s pure, unfiltered noise, layered with distorted bass, wailing flutes, and Lieberman’s trademark vocal fashion that teeters between shouted declarations and half-swallowed mutterings. On the floor, it’s straightforward to dismiss as a multitude of sound, however that’s the place the genius of Lieberman lies. He’s a grasp of chaos, making a meticulously disorganized soundscape that feels just like the closest factor fashionable music has to pure insurrection.
Let’s face it: mainstream punk, if it exists anymore, is a pale shadow of its former self. Certain, there are a couple of bands retaining the spirit alive in underground scenes, however what passes as “punk” on the radio usually feels sanitized and polished for simple digestion. Lieberman is the antithesis of that. His work is unapologetically abrasive, too loud, and not possible to pin down—a stark reminder of what punk was all the time meant to be: uncooked, offended, and not possible to disregard.
In some ways, Lieberman’s work seems like a non secular cousin to thrashy legends like Black Flag and Useless Kennedys, albeit with a unique twist. Tracks like “Skinheads in My Yard Oy Vey Entr’acte 176” pound the listener with relentless noise, pushed by Lieberman’s distorted bass and frenetic flute interjections. There’s no melody to carry onto, no comforting hook to information you thru—it’s simply pure, visceral sound. The tune seems like a center finger geared toward every part formulaic in fashionable music.
The album’s opener units the tone with its manic power and barely-contained rage. Lieberman’s voice cuts by way of the combo like a knife dulled by overuse—abrasive, uneven, and fully fascinating. The lyrics are virtually not possible to make out, however that solely provides to the attraction. In true punk vogue, they’re secondary to the power of the supply.
On “Gangsta Rabbi (Entr’acte 173),” the EP’s centerpiece, Lieberman leans even more durable into the chaos. The distorted bass and screeching flutes battle for dominance whereas the vocals turn out to be one more layer of noise. Listening to this observe is like being dropped into the center of a riot—it’s overwhelming, disorienting, and not possible to show away from.
“5 Little Puppies – Entr’acte 171” takes the noise-punk ethos to absurd heights. It’s like somebody set a blender off and not using a lid, and your smoothie has gone horribly (and superbly) incorrect, with Lieberman’s off-kilter instrumentation delivering a mixture of pressure and humor. It’s not possible to not be each bewildered and impressed by the audacity.
Closing observe “Followers, Auditors and Hoes – Entr’acte 167” is probably probably the most aggressive tune on the EP. It’s a pounding, disjointed wall of sound that feels just like the logical conclusion to every part Lieberman has constructed as much as. By the point it ends, you’re left in surprised silence, questioning what you simply skilled.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t music for a soothing night at house or a highway journey playlist. It’s loud, abrasive, and infrequently overwhelming. Nevertheless it’s additionally refreshing, a reminder of the sheer energy of music that doesn’t care about being appreciated. For somebody who usually leans towards extra structured and melodic sounds, this EP was a stunning delight. It’s not the form of music I’d attain for day by day, however there’s one thing undeniably fascinating about Lieberman’s refusal to evolve.
Meet the Gangsta Rabbi (44/82) Opus166 isn’t an album, it’s an announcement. In a world the place punk has usually been stripped of its tooth, Steve Lieberman reminds us what it means to be really rebellious. It’s messy, chaotic, and unapologetically loud, and for that, it deserves to be celebrated. For followers of noise-punk, thrash, or anybody eager for one thing really unfiltered, this EP is important listening. Lieberman will not be everybody’s cup of tea, however he’s precisely what punk wants proper now.
Mindy McCall
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