Run Down

American Despair [7-inch] (2012)

Joe Pelone

Given that they've already changed their name to Voight-Kampff, one wonders why this punky outfit would bother going through with releasing a 7" under their old moniker, Run Down. Maybe they didn't want to waste the iconic cover. Maybe they didn't enough money for a new one. Given that the songs were originally recorded in 2007, maybe they just wanted to preserve what they were at that juncture. Regardless, it's a solid 7".

Opener "American Despair" has a stripped down punk rock approach, slightly recalling Black Flag circa My War. The flipside, "The Coming," more accurately reveals where Run Down went post-name change, which is to say it shifts more towards the post-punk end of the spectrum.

Yet the tracks aren't nearly as incongruous as one would think. Rather, there's a haunting quality to both songs; it's simply more pronounced on one of them. While Run Down might not technically exist any more, that doesn't invalidate this 7". Call the band whatever you want.