Noise-funk pioneers and no wave outliers the were always a band with more talent and vision than luck, and just as they began receiving some well-deserved public reappraisal after the release of the excellent 2021 career overview , longtime drummer died, just days before the band was scheduled to play a show celebrating the collection's release. However, if you want to believe that fate often opens a window as it closes a door, it's worth noting that of , one of many bands that were influenced by the , soon stepped forward to fill their empty drum stool. With also serving as producer, they cut an album, 2023's , which shows they're still as vital, exciting, and singular as ever. Just as it's been since they formed in 1979, the are guided by the angular skronk of guitarist and the deadpan rage and joy of vocalist , and in 2023 they still haven't run out of interesting things to say about living in a corrupt world full of injustices large and small (especially if you're a woman with a mind of your own). "Ghosts of People," "I Am Not a Member," and "Things I Put Together" are all cracking exercises in the struggle to maintain dignity and sanity in a time of chaos, and in "2020 Vision" they wonder just how they managed to get through that tumultuous year, and whether things are truly getting better. If the themes of are not exactly new to the , for good or ill the rest of the world has caught up to the crises of pre-gentrification New York City, and their attack and their message is as ferociously compelling as ever. The have always worked best when they had a rhythm section who could deliver the mix of rubbery funk and punk-inspired stomp that matches the report of 's guitar, and on , bassist and drummer hit that sweet spot throughout. adds a propulsive groove that pairs nicely with the group's jagged tone, while reminds us he's been delivering the expert timing of a great rock drummer and the instincts of what to do with musicians exploring the space for a few decades now, and he hasn't lost a bit of his touch. It's a shame wasn't around to help record (he was part of the online songwriting sessions prior to his passing), but if he wanted his bandmates to continue on without him, they've done so with style and fury -- this is as strong as anything they've recorded in their 40-plus-year history. ~ Mark Deming