The loss of a bandmate is devastating. Unfortunately, underground hip-hop group Injury Reserve recently dealt with the loss of one of their members, Jordan Groggs (Stepa J. Groggs). Groggs’s death, along with the intimidating social climate created by COVID-19, influenced Injury Reserve’s second album, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” to be one of the most soul-crushingly dark albums I have heard in years.
Nathaniel Ritchie (Ritchie with a T) and Parker Corey, the two remaining members of the group, may as well call themselves geniuses because “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is a modern classic. Groggs’s influence shines on this record, with his unused verses working as building blocks for many songs on the tracklist.
It is unfortunate that the sadness of this album is a result of a death and a pandemic. However, these unfortunate events led to what could be one of the greatest albums ever made.
I should mention that before this album gained positive buzz on the internet, I never really paid attention to Injury Reserve. After the release of “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” I felt I may need to become a fan as soon as possible.
The opening song, “Outside,” sets an incredible scene. Nearly seven minutes long, it’s a lot to take in on first listen. But when this song clicks, it clicks hard. The song forms a crescendo of wave-like synths in an electronic ocean that eventually explodes into one giant ball of lightning. It’s dystopian, weird and everything that makes music such an amazing art form.
Following this incredible opening track is another incredible track titled “Superman That.” If “Outside” is the beginning of the storm, then “Superman That” is the destruction in its wake. This is an explosive song that shook my headphones with its heavy bass and glitchy soundscape. The “ain’t no savin’ me” lyrical hook is catchy even with how abrasive and insane this song is. This is a true balance of experimentation and mainstream creation.
After this, the album delves further into hellish tendencies with the eerie, “SS San Francisco,” probably one of the scariest songs I have heard in a while. This song has one of those outros for the music history books. When the bells kick in, it sends even the most experienced listeners into space. When you hear it, you will know.
Every song after this is pitch perfect. However, not a single song left is as brilliant as “Knees.” With a groove that flows with a stutter and lyrical themes that sound like a cry for help, “Knees” best encapsulates not only the band’s personal grief, but also the troubled times the world is going through.
One other notable moment on the record is in the song “Wild Wild West.” It directly references the 5G tower conspiracy that has been circulating since 2020. Usually when an artist tries to reference politics, they run the risk of sounding preachy and forced. Luckily, this song’s gloomy nature sounds like a perverted and technological western theme song, which fits this theme of modern day conspiracy perfectly.
Another unique aspect of this album is its production. Although heavy influence sprinkles in from hip-hop acts like JPEGMAFIA and modern post-punk icons black midi, not a single other album sounds like “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” It blends together a mixture of influences that in theory should not go together, but end up working in the band’s favor to create something mind-blowing.
It is not often that an album is released and I am still thinking about it a week later. “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is a mesmerizing, representative, important and soul-crushing work of art that defies all genres.
Hopefully with this album, other artists will follow in Injury Reserve’s footsteps and dive deeper into experimentation. It seems as though most recent albums and singles want to cover up the darkness of the pandemic (Lorde’s most recent album “Solar Power” is a hyper-positive mess). Injury Reserve wants the world to confront the horrors of this reality. This includes the tragic loss of band member Groggs. Without confronting the horrors of this world, the horror can never heal into something beautiful. “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” feels like that healing.
Verdict: 10/10
Edited by Elise Mulligan | emulligan@themaneater.com