Criminal Hygiene

Criminal Hygiene always bring the heat with their raucous garage-punk that seems to drive the kiddies and old folks wild. They were really tight. The bass player and guitarist switched instruments and traded off on vocals throughout the set. - Grimy Goods

Criminal Hygiene always bring the heat with their raucous garage-punk that seems to drive the kiddies and old folks wild. They were really tight. The bass player and guitarist switched instruments and traded off on vocals throughout the set. - Grimy Goods

Another solid lineup of local bands at The Echoplex as Upset kicked it off early. Female punkers Upset received their first flowers from fans. Ali Koehler (guitar/vocals), Jennifer Prince (lead guitar/vocals), and Patty Schemel (drums) have a new album She’s Gone and make another appearance at The Echoplex in November with Screaming Females. Accomplished musician Rachel Haden filled in on bass.
Criminal Hygiene threw a harder edge on the night as the guys were tight, although Greg Kinnear did not show up.
When I first saw Cherry Glazerr at Jubilee, the lineup was different and I couldn’t hear the songs as they were probably meant to be heard. This night, however, the band was a three-piece and singer/guitarist Clem Creevy owned it. Burger Records has another ace signing.
You will never ever be bored from a Hunx and His Punx show. Seth Bogart teased security, showed some goodies, and played songs from latest Street Punk. - L.A. Record

Another solid lineup of local bands at The Echoplex as Upset kicked it off early. Female punkers Upset received their first flowers from fans. Ali Koehler (guitar/vocals), Jennifer Prince (lead guitar/vocals), and Patty Schemel (drums) have a new album She’s Gone and make another appearance at The Echoplex in November with Screaming Females. Accomplished musician Rachel Haden filled in on bass.
Criminal Hygiene threw a harder edge on the night as the guys were tight, although Greg Kinnear did not show up.
When I first saw Cherry Glazerr at Jubilee, the lineup was different and I couldn’t hear the songs as they were probably meant to be heard. This night, however, the band was a three-piece and singer/guitarist Clem Creevy owned it. Burger Records has another ace signing.
You will never ever be bored from a Hunx and His Punx show. Seth Bogart teased security, showed some goodies, and played songs from latest Street Punk. - L.A. Record

Hailing from Los Angeles, boozy trio Criminal Hygiene are really good at finding charm in the mundane, or worse, the totally shitty. Although these dudes have been mixing crass with class since the release of their (sort-of) self-titled debut, CRMNL HYGNE, back in January, their rolling and rollicking live shows weren’t able to hit New York shores until now. They deliver scuzzy, modern versions of your favorite garage rock classics; familiar sounds expertly re-branded to suit the band’s signature sloppy vibe. Still, there are thoughtful moments to be found among all the talk of twelve packs and songs about “cockroaches in your microwave.” There’s a youthful, anxiety-driven frustration to Criminal Hygiene that allows their music to feel so honest, and their beer-fueled set at the (aptly titled) Trash Bar left us eagerly awaiting their return. - Bushwick Daily

Hailing from Los Angeles, boozy trio Criminal Hygiene are really good at finding charm in the mundane, or worse, the totally shitty. Although these dudes have been mixing crass with class since the release of their (sort-of) self-titled debut, CRMNL HYGNE, back in January, their rolling and rollicking live shows weren’t able to hit New York shores until now. They deliver scuzzy, modern versions of your favorite garage rock classics; familiar sounds expertly re-branded to suit the band’s signature sloppy vibe. Still, there are thoughtful moments to be found among all the talk of twelve packs and songs about “cockroaches in your microwave.” There’s a youthful, anxiety-driven frustration to Criminal Hygiene that allows their music to feel so honest, and their beer-fueled set at the (aptly titled) Trash Bar left us eagerly awaiting their return. - Bushwick Daily

Over 1,400 artists are playing CMJ this year. It’s impossible to see ‘em all, so the experts on the My Social List team will be hand-picking their “can’t miss” artists for the Music Marathon.

Who They Are: Judging from a couple of their track titles, a trio of neurotic dudes bashing out introspective garage rock.

What They Sound Like: Hootenanny-era Replacements smeared with a little In-n-Out grease.

What They’re Up To: Trying to raise funds to head over here from and blow our minds.

Where To See ‘Em At CMJ: Playing The Trash Bar on Thursday the 17th at 10:00pm.

Essential Listening: CRMNL HYGENE, released earlier this year is worth a listen as a whole but “Alan, I’m In Love” is the most worthy of a drunken sing-along.
- See more at: http://mysocialist.com/blog/2013/10/04/cmj-artist-to-watch-criminal-hygiene/#sthash.pSIX4bDB.dpuf - My Social List

Half-naked girls in dinosaur costumes, drag queens, skateboarders, bathtub murder scenes, and classic Skinemax footage collide to create Criminal Hygiene’s latest video project, CRMNL HYGNE: A Musical Portrait.

The Los Angeles trio challenged their artist and videographer friends (more affectionately referred to as their “badass list of contacts”) to pick a track off of their debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE and produce a music video within one week. A video for each song was eventually made by 17 different artists, friends and fellow musicians. The band then edited the footage into a 40-minute film displaying the madcap people, places, and things that inspire them.

It was this crazy idea and DIY approach that caused Consequence of Sound, MTV Hive, LA Weekly, Filter and Impose to embrace the band for their “casual subversion” that both encapsulates their punk vibe and adds even more energy to their high-wired songs.Criminal Hygiene also scored a month long residency at The Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles, where they shared the bill with Zig Zags, Bad Antics, Colleen Green and more.

The CRMNL HYGNE LP is available digitally via Small Smile Records (a collective of music and art kids) and on cassette via Under the Gun Records. To catch the video, go to http://vimeo.com/64934464. To learn more about this innovative act, visit http://criminalhygiene.com. - Music Connection

Criminal Hygiene’s post hardcore raw garage rock sound seemed to get everyone moving around. These LA locals have a badass raw sound with a knack for song structure and quiet moments within unruly punk guitar solos. Having a reputation for having some out of control shows, the crowd seemed tame within their Rock’N'Roll convulsions. - Lady Gunn

So it’s been said already that the festival has wrapped up and we’re all trying to recover as best we can back at work Monday. It was a fun and exhausting week full of incredible music, tons of booze, and many an old friend. We’re each taking a look back at our week in free live music with some recaps and now it’s my turn. Follow the jump for more.

Best Bands:

I’ve gotta agree with Nathan that Warm Soda we’re an early highlight for me and I wish I could have seen them for the second time. Power/pop/punk doesn’t get much better than this in the live setting.

Criminal Hygiene would prove to be one of the more unknown bands that delivered in a major way this week. I managed to catch their sets twice, and they wouldn’t allow crappy sound engineers on 6th street to ruin their good time. Killer tune “Rearrange Me” has been confirmed as a front runner for my song of the year.

It was a rock n roll festival for me this year and Virals might have been the best rockin’ band I saw all week. When you can take on playing a pop up shop at a burger joint, with little kids comprising the majority of your audience, you’ve got rock in your veins. I wish more people would catch on to these guys.

Old friends Colourmusic pulled off what might be the best sounding set I’ve ever seen from them after being a fan for close to 7-8 years. They’ve brought the dual drummer back, ditched the excessive backing PA, and sound tighter than ever. New material from the band also sounded incredible and will hopefully break these guys into the popularity they deserve. - Austin Town Hall

Lots of people use social media to vent about their relationship frustrations, but for Los Angeles garage-rock trio Criminal Hygiene, it’s easier to just pour those emotions into a nicely compact song, as they do on “Alan, I’m in Love.” “It’s a song about thinking you’re in love with someone, and then realizing you’re not in love with anyone,” explains bassist James Pratley Watson. “You just have low self-esteem and need someone to cling to, even if they suck.” And the band’s latest album, CRMNL HYGNE, is full of self-loathing sentiments that Watson thoroughly enjoyed writing about. “I shit talk myself in a lot of my songs,” he says. “It’s a strange form of therapy. I’m always fighting against that self-critical voice in my day-to-day but with music I get to celebrate it. That’s the vibe I brought to the table with this album and with songs like ‘Alan, I’m In Love.’” - MTV Hive

t the end of December, suspense was swirling around the release of Criminal Hygiene’s debut album, CRMNL HYGNE, getting on lists like, “Most Anticipated Albums of 2013.” Well, I see your praises and I’ll raise you one more – Criminal Hygiene has set the precedent for IRR’s best new artists of 2013. Even if you’re not down with beer, or skateboarding, or grunge / garage rock, you’re going to shut up, listen and enjoy these guys.

Now that they have getting banned from The Redwood for just having too much fun behind them, its time to set the record straight – Criminal Hygiene will give you a show you won’t forget, even if you’re blak-ed out (before you go judging my spelling, get on the bandwagon and listen to “Blak Water” already). Their album release show at The Satellite in LA proves this. Sure, any old punk band is rowdy with a mosh pit, but how often can they do it with class? Well, for starters, when the crowd asked bassist, James Watson, to take his shirt off, he responded frankly, “Well, I have two on so…” The trio played 9 of their 17 tracks, including singles “Blak Water” and “Rearrange Me”. After thanking mom and dad for coming, they proceeded to fall all over stage, play against each others backs, even strum his bass so hard that Watson split his pick. They are crisp and timely, don’t tire or succumb to sloppiness and overall just sound damn good. Each member handles their piece like an appendage with a stamina that would eventually put that moshpit on the floor. Their live presence transcends the already excellent production on the album and they party like its 1994, so forget worrying about your skinny jeans and tear it up with ‘em!

Ok, so I didn’t actually get a beer in my face, but I’d take it if it meant seeing Criminal Hygiene again.

We’ve got the album stream but you should probably just support DIY shit and buy CRMNL HYGNE, not like you won’t listen to it enough to pay you right back, anyway. - Indie Rock Reviews

Opening the night were the lively and impressively raucous Criminal Hygiene (CRMNL HYGNE) with a set that included a cover of Devo’s “Uncontrollable Urge.” The band is on tap for a May residency at the nearby Bootleg Theater. Gap Dream provided a decidedly mellower center to the evening, but still managed to get the energetic audience pumped and grooving along to the group’s psych-pop tunes. - L.A. Record

The Orwells dominated the Echo on February 22nd, with help from Criminal Hygiene and Gap Dream. When I first arrived at the show there were so many young people there. Some crowd members were talking about needing a fake ID for an eighteen and over show. It honestly felt like hipster prom. When Criminal Hygiene went on, all hell broke loose and an ocean of people started moshing and pushing each other and myself. Things slowed down during Gap Dream’s performance, which was much more tame, but impressive nonetheless.

The Orwells’ performance however, is another story. The once calm ocean of people became a intense frenzy of people trying to touch their singer and get on stage. One fan was crowd surfing and got on the stage around three times within five minutes. Needless to say it was nuts. The Orwells’ stole the frenetic sold-out show. After the show was over I could see why all these young kids were here. They came for loud and fun music, and they were rewarded tenfold. - Grimy Goods

I caught the last few tracks of the Criminal Hygiene set. They were raw and discordant, floor-to-ceiling ripped chords blasting from the moment we walked in. It was like everything that worked in the pre-Winona Ryder Replacements. It wasn’t her fault, I was just trying to bookmark the time period. It’s basically Good Morning America hours if it’s before 2pm, so the fact that they were rattling the floorboards before noon says something about their festival constitution. - Pop Matters

Criminal Hygiene are more interested in telling you about their favorite place to eat than they are in telling you about themselves. Judging from the detail they go into on their Facebook biography about the food served at South Central's Olympian Family Restaurant (which they refer to as “a fucking great establishment”), they were either extremely high when writing about it, or it really is as amazing as they make it sound, and considering how starved as I am right now, I'm tempted to make a last minute trip into Los Angeles to find out for myself.

The trio of bassist/vocalist James P. Watson, guitarist/vocalist Michael Fiore, and drummer Bird Man formed Criminal Hygiene in 2011 over some burgers at Olympian, and whatever the cooks are putting in the food, it's helped inspire some really good music. Criminal Hygiene play a punchy form of garage-rock that's informed more by punk and power-pop than by psychedelic or the blues. You can can also hear traces of early to mid-period Replacements scattered throughout their music, especially on the stinging and sloppy 'Rearrange Me', a song about romantic frustration in which lines like “You say I'm inconsistent, have to admit I'm fucking persistent/I'll think of changing, when you rearrange me” are delivered in a tattered howl reminiscent of Paul Westerberg at his booziest.
'Immortal Eighteens' is a nostalgic piece of power-pop that isn't nearly as sloppy, but it's no less emotionally tugging either. Then there's the ready-made anthem 'Summertime in October', which fires off with the drunken and wild abandon of early 70's pub-rock, capturing the feeling of being wasted on a Saturday night and stuck in a town you can't stand in the first place. Surprisingly the most gorgeous moment on CRMNL HYGNE comes in the form of a cover, namely Big Star's 'Kangaroo.' As desperate and defeated as the original version is, here the band manages to somehow magnify those qualities while bringing its haunted undertones to the surface at the same time, resulting in the album's most devastating moment.
Read more at http://hangout.altsounds.com/reviews/156449-review-criminal-hygiene-crmnl-hygne-album.html#6BHdDOErHD3EWkd0.99

- AltSounds

It’s always fun to see LA bands steal the show in Austin, and this year was no exception. Criminal Hygiene, new upstarts selling their CDR in hand-painted brown lunch bags, was so loud you could hear them two blocks away, and this wasn’t a bad thing. It was an extremely appropriate thing. The energy was off then charts as their pop punk made the sleepy noontime crowd awake without the aid of too much coffee. Covering Devo’s “Uncontrollable Urge” made sense in so many ways. - Moheak Radio

These youngsters from L.A. had never played outside their home city before (well, there was that one gig in Costa Mesa, but that’s kinda L.A. sphere of influence, and one stop in El Paso on the way to Austin). But their Replacements-like sensibilities went down well in the Live Music Capital of the World, complete with hooky guitar lines and creative, lead-guitarish bass. If they finally do make it to your town, don’t miss em. - Mercury News

I caught up with garage rock darlings, Criminal Hygiene, after their record release show at the Satellite last week. Being touted as LA’s answer to Ty Segall, the debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE satisfies with it’s beer-soaked songs about heartache, and well, drinking beer. While the trio, made up of James Watson (bass, vocals), Michael Fiore (guitar, vocals), and Sean Erickson (drums), may keep their songs short and sweet, their answers to my burning questions were anything but. Stream the entire LP on bandcamp while you read, as the guys open up about their raucous live shows, and needing a helicopter.

The Deli: First off, Congrats on the record. I was able to make it out to the release show at the Satellite. I had the coincidental pleasure of standing next to James' mom and dad. Definitely a highlight. Are all your families this supportive?



James: Thanks! Yeah my parents were super excited that night because it was the first time they'd seen us play! They’re usually in bed by our set times and PLUS when I told them I was playing in a rock /punk band a few months back they weren’t too pleased. I come from a pretty formal music background and have made what some could call "parent-friendly" music for most of my life, so when they see me come home with cuts, hangovers and tales of getting permanently kicked out of bars, they probably began wondering what the hell I was doing with my jazz/classical education. So that show was pretty special for me. I was kinda nervous, and didn’t want to freak them out, and they didn’t want that to stop me from doing my thing. But neither happened, and after the show they said stuff like, "That was so entertaining! " and "That’s REAL rock!"

Sean: Yeah they definitely are. A couple weeks ago I went on facebook and had like 45 notifications and it turns out my grandma, who is fairly new to the interwebs, liked every single photo or post Criminal Hygiene has. Since my family mostly lives up in Tacoma Washington they unfortunately can’t come out to the shows like Walt and Eileen [James’ parents], but they show their support in ways like that. They’re the best.

D: What was the first record you bought?

James: NSYNC by NSYNC

Michael: I think the first record I bought with my own money was In on the Killtaker by Fugazi. I remember this because i was on crutches at the time from a skateboarding accident.

Sean: Being a grungy little northwest kid in the 90’s the first cassette I remember getting is Nirvana’s In Utero which actually is still my favorite Nirvana record.

D: Do you remember a specific moment or experience that influenced you to pursue rock stardom?

James: I'll always credit my involvement in music to my Uncle Jacky. He came to live with my family for a few months while he remodeled our house. We became pretty tight over those months. It was fun when he was there, sawdust everywhere, him singing Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James taylor harmonies with my mom til 2 am, ripping a good sloppy blues solo here and there, and always teaching me things. He actually passed away the night of the album release, found out the next day. Rest in Peace Jacky "The Kid" Pratley.

Sean: My dad shredded guitar and played in a bunch of bands when I was little so that probably has a lot to do with it.

D: Besides beer, what inspired the songwriting on this record?

Michael: Senior year of college depression, apathy, uncertainty, frustration, failed relationships. There was a time when things didn't seem to be going my way, and it was mostly my fault, and there was definitely a lack of focus and motivation to do anything besides go out and party. This album was like one long therapy session, and that could be why it turned out so raw and honest. We wrote everything very hastily, and I think that process brought out the best of us.

James: I was also in a shitty, destructive relationship throughout the recording of the album, hence Alan, I’m in love // Beneath the flame // Dirty Knees.

I've heard a lot of comparisons to Nirvana and The Replacements - were these conscious influences?

Michael: I consciously remember listening to a lot of quieter music during the recording of the album: Nick Drake, The Clientele, Big Star... But I do love both the 'Mats and Nirvana. I think those comparisons come because we share that same raw energy that drove both of those bands. They wore everything on their sleeves and I dig that. Huge influences on me for sure.

D: Who is Grady?

Michael: Grady is a friend who left Los Angeles to pursue a religious expedition to New Orleans. Actually, I am not sure if that is accurate, that is just a rumor. We haven't heard from him, and his whereabouts now are unknown.

Sean: Grady is a Saint who we worship daily here at the church of Criminal Hygiene.

D: Your live show seems to inspire raucous behavior. Is this just an extension of your not giving a fuck lifestyle, or is it all part of an elaborate PR campaign?

Sean: It - The Deli Magazine

A cauldron is bubbling in Los Angeles. If Ty Segall and his Bay Area cohort serve as the current epicenter of garage rock, then the LA scene is its misfit younger brother. He just got his first fake ID, but hasn’t yet been tossed around by enough bouncers to know when to keep quiet. From the polished (Allah-Las) to the rambunctious and squirrely (The Orwells, Gap Dream) this group is latent with a crop of talent well-studied and cocksure enough to add a noteworthy chapter to a saturated genre.

Criminal Hygiene‘s misspelled, self-titled debut CRMNL HYGNE proves the least predictable and arguably most unrefined release of the bunch. It’s a raw sound that ranges from full throttle prog-punk one moment to bleak, atmospheric melancholia the next. Criminal Hygiene leans more heavily on the aggressive, early 70s-era garage rock than the sun-baked, late 60s Box Tops and Nuggets material that feels like the driving force behind its peers.

CRMNL HYGNE breaks down into 17 tracks, however a handful serve as 45 second segues or more accurately momentary tangents. More than a symptom of the group’s collective ADHD, these deviations serve as the transition sentence between what might otherwise feel like disjointed paragraphs. Despite the lengthy track listing, the album clocks in at a concise 43 minutes.

Criminal Hygiene’s modus operandi remains faithful to garage rock’s three and four chord progressions built around rebellion and angst, but the band isn’t afraid to take risks. The circus-like keyboard line and boiled down mantra of “Get An Education” serves as an excellent example. Criminal Hygiene doesn’t force their aesthetic by screaming, “Fuck School!” Instead, the band relies on the absurdity of the song’s structure to question authority for them.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there can never be too many bands like this. As long as disenchanted youth need an outlet for their angst there will remain an audience for a release like CRMNL HYGNE. It may not prove as cerebral as the latest art rock album, but that doesn’t make it an any less satisfying kick in the pants. Grab your copy of the album from Small Smile Records. Check out our initial post on Criminal Hygiene’s debut single “Blak Water” and listen to “Rearrange Me” below. - Thoughts on Tracks

Being a garage rock band today is like being a boy band in 1998: the market is over-saturated and the difference between any band is usually as negligible as a Kangol cap or a well-trimmed goatee. But Los Angeles’ Criminal Hygiene have found a way to stand out amongst the crowd, balancing the evocative with the asinine on their mostly-self-titled debut, CRMNL HYGNE.

Eschewing the traditional blues and psych-rock influences, the trio call on two primary muses throughout the 17 breezy tunes. “Rearrange Me” is their ode to late career Nirvana, recreating that same shambolic groove within the punchier confines of garage-rock, all while maintaining visceral emotions and haggard pleas for connection. But just moments later, they let loose “Alan, I’m In Love” and “Fine!”, whose grimy production, hyper-activity, and emotionally-stunted content sound like the makings of a Hootenanny tribute album.

Still, those cuts only spark the interest; the band’s true worth shines in numbers where they do more than tinker with aural artifacts. Lead single “Blak Water” is an intriguing beast, an empty bubble of “oh ah” harmonies and lackadaisical intent filled with the grimy sludge of directionless teen vitriol and slow-burning dissonance. But where that’s all devastation, “Immortal Eighteens” displays a veil of hope somewhere between the pessimism of Nirvana and the abandonment of the ‘Mats, a place where they can’t decide if teen-dom’s inherent sense of invulnerability is a blessing or a curse. The only thing for certain, though, is that the jagged guitar makes every moment spent musing especially tense.

Criminal Hygiene aren’t worried about the state of a scene. Instead, they’ve stuck to what they can control, crafting a rocking LP that pays homage while blazing its own trail upward and onward. More than anything, that’s what’ll keep the genre fresher than an ‘N Sync dance routine. - Consequence of Sound

Criminal Hygiene quintessentially sum up the above photo of themselves with joyous and succulently slick rock’n’roll on their new full-length record CRMNL HYGNE. Sprawling with a whopping 17 tracks, the LP is available from their Bandcamp for a measly five bucks and aptly ventures across the vallies of a whole bunch of different genres. You’ve got the growling, ferocious shit-kicker anthem ‘Teeth’; the gloomy and grimy slacker jam ‘Rearrange Me’ and the somewhat twinkly motivational message ‘Get an Education!’. This is music for the severely hungover and neurotic freakazoids out there, and as a reader of this blog that means it’s right up your street. Prang out now. - Can't Hear My Eyes (UK)

#1: Criminal Hygiene – CRMNL HYGNE

Release date: 1/15/2013

Ok, to be fair, this album came out on Jan. 15th, so you won’t earn any awesome indie street cred by name dropping this, as your buzzworthy friends have probably already streamed and fave’d that shit on Soundcloud.

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/73988207" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

But yeah – this self-titled debut LP from East LA grunge-revivalists Criminal Hygiene is worth checking out if you’re into the whole Ty Segall garage-rock thing. The band channels those influences effectively but they also evoke the spirit of pre-emo, D.I.Y. punk bands like Jawbreaker at the same time, making for a mega mixture of raw eighties/nineties/aughts sounds. In other news, sometimes it’s hard to write about music and not sound like a douchebag! - Serial Optimist

Over the past few years, actually nearly a decade if you were really, truly deeply entrenched in the scene, indie skater-punk music has flourished in Los Angeles, making it one of the major music hubs for the genre. One of the cooler new bands to emerge in the past year and a half from the city’s east side is Criminal Hygiene.

The band formed over a way that any wise young musician would decide to start playing music: over burgers and beers. Founding members Michael Fiore and James Pratley Watson, who were both students at USC at the time, were chompin' on double bacon cheeseburgers at lunch in Olympian Family Restaurant in South Los Angeles when Fiore simply said, "Let's record some music." Not surprisingly, Watson agreed, but had to put things in perspective before they continued: "Let's get drunk first."

From there, the then college seniors began to focus only on their new band, often times skipping classes to write and record music, while sucking down a few beers in the process. With the addition of Sean "Bird Man" Erickson to helm the drumming duties, the band has kicked into another gear, literally and figuratively.

Playing shows around town has built the trio a steady following amongst the garage rock/skater punk community. The band channels their sound from a blend of The Replacements and ‘90s rock (the good kind of course), which is the ying to their punk yang. Their shows have been known to escalate and become rowdy, good time events even when they devolve into the typical anarchic punk shows, which means lots of mayhem and sometimes relatively unorganized chaos. But so goes the life of a band, besides, it isn’t very rock or punk to conform to the rules.

Criminal Hygiene has a new album, the kinda, sorta self-titled CRMNL HYGNE, which has earned the band accolades. Comparisons to another site fave, FIDLAR, are inevitable, but that would be as lazy in comparing two quarterbacks from the same school or ethnicity. Outside of a band like Nirvana or The Police, trios generally have trouble breaking through to a wider audience. But this band is as authentic as they come, after all what other band would cut class, decide to form over burgers and brews, make an album of 17 songs that clocks in at around 40 minutes and live to tell their story? Skate-punks that’s who and judging by their formation, their songs and the hype surrounding their live shows, Criminal Hygiene are not only a band on the rise, but could be a sleeper band to emerge from Los Angeles this year. - Best New Bands

Criminal Hygiene – CRMNL HYGNE

Aren’t garage rock bands supposed to be over? I’m honestly a little confused right now. The Orwells, The Men, Parquet Courts– and now, Criminal Hygiene– are just a few of the young, uber-cool rock bands ready to party like it’s 2003. A lot has changed in the past decade, but apparently, all that’s old is new again. Not that I’m complaining. criminal hygiene crmnl hygne 300x300 Criminal Hygiene CRMNL HYGNE
Criminal Hygiene - CRMNL HYGNE- by Lorengarage rock

To me, garage rock is still the genre that feels like it could change the world. And, if that’s true, then Criminal Hygiene are single-handedly changing the world of garage rock. This Los Angeles trio differentiate themselves from the aforementioned bands on their full-length debut, CRMNL HYGNE. The album’s seventeen tracks are an addictive collection of emphatic guitars, masterfully crafted layers of reverb and fuzz, and moments that range from the silly (“Get an Education!”) to the sublime (“Rearrange Me”). CRMNL HYGNE is full of surprises, if only because it insists on being everything you think it’s not.

At first thought, seventeen tracks could seem quite overwhelming, but CRMNL HYGNE actually clocks in at just under 45 minutes. Regardless, it takes practically no time at all to realize that each song is its own miniature rock n’ roll masterpiece. “Dirty Knees,” is a perfect “fuck you” punk song if I’ve ever heard one, with lyrics that warn, “Tear my clothes and rip my hair/Yeah, I’ll never care, I’ll never care.” Not to mention that it all begins with a giant scream of “Let’s fucking do this!” Badass, indeed, my friends.

Among the many standout tracks is the semi-sweet love ballad “Beneath the Flame,” which is sort of what “Something” might have sounded like if George Harrison had been really fucking angry (and/or drunk) around the time he wrote it. Also worth noting are jaunty first single “Blak Water,” the super fast and oh-so-frantic “Fine!,” and the positively enchanting “Full Lunar Eclipse.” The latter is melodic and pure in the vein of 70s rock jams, but filled to the brim with tension. I swear to God, I almost air guitar-ed while listening– almost. Don’t worry, I stopped myself just in time.

Simple garage rock it’s not, but that’s the utter brilliance of CRYMNL HYGNE. It’s the work of a band that knows its shit– from 90s grunge primal to kitschy, classic rock playful and everything inbetween– and doesn’t need anyone’s permission. - AudioCred

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Premiere: Criminal Hygiene, "Rearrange Me" Video by James P. Watson

LA's Olympian Burgers and Purgatory Pizza enthusiasts Criminal Hygiene take you through life's changes and forced rearrangements as we enjoy their video debut for "Rearrange Me". A current student of visual anthropology and media at USC; bassist James P. Watson takes directorial duties for the band's self-made video that gives an intimate view of a special day in the life of Criminal Hygiene.

Displayed in classic on-screen VHS font, we are introduced to what is to be, "A Special Day" as drummer Bird Man awakes, checks the phone messages, tosses said phone, gets into gear as guitarist Michael Fiore and James Watson follow suit. While sorting out which shirt, jersey, or superhero outfit will be suitable; the trio spends time to focus on their own personal grooming, hygienic rituals and most important, Bird's mustache upkeep.

Busting out skateboards, bicycles and putting up show flyers around the neighborhood; the band grabs their instruments and gets into performance mode. While kicking out melodic and rough guitar licks, the heavy-hearted lyrical responses to the accumulated complaints and nags reaches a raspy-throated boiling point. "You say I'm inconsistent, have to admit I've been fucking consistent," as Bird keeps the rhythm in between picking his nose and answering his cell while drumming in time to the lyrics of, "You say you don't like the way, all your friends call me every day."

"I think I'm changing, when you rearrange me..." Taking out frustration on the paper puzzle piece adorned performance/practice space, the Los Angeles trio cracks 40 ouncers, starts up a bonfire and burns what looks like is the master tape to the "Rearrange Me" single. The metal trash can fire ignites and consumes the tape as the band's defiant noise pop protest of controlling significant others winds down while Fiore's expressive-emotion-charged guitar stays with you long after the single has stopped. The video's closing features the candle lit, pour-a-little-out tribute to their friend, band mascot, Grady. - Impose Magazine

Turn up the volume, as a real burly album awaits your ‘press play.’ Contrary to most people’s lack of productivity whilst drinking and thrashing, this raucous trio managed a 17-track album layered with sweeping harmonies, informal sample spasms, and genre-appropriate fuzz.

Tracks like “Get An Education!” give Criminal Hygiene’s version of garage rock the brit-punk flair that sets them apart from other LA-based garage peers like FIDLAR and Pangea. Their reputation for debauchery is countered by their sophisticated compilation and prudent production. Hit up the singles “Blak Water” and “Rearrange Me” but you’re really better off just listening to the consecutive order already planned out for you.

If you are lucky enough to be in LA, these fellas will be raging for their release show at The Satellite on Jan. 16. - Indie Rock Reviews

Los Angeles garage-rock trio Criminal Hygiene will release their debut album, CRMNL HYGNE, on January 15th via Small Smile Records. In October 2011, Michael Fiore and James Pratley Watson formed the band over a meal of tasty burgers at LA staple the Olympian Family Restaurant. Along with a mutual love of meat, the duo is fond of The Replacements, ’90s era grunge, and local skate-punks FIDLAR. Over the course of seven months, they distilled those interests into the album, often ditching classes at the University of Southern California for drunken mid-day recording sessions.

But all that academic negligence paid off with the final result, a lean, mean 17 tracks of glorious revival punk clocking in at just under 40 minutes. Adding Sean “Bird Man” Erickson on drums, the group understands the primal, visceral elements of old-school punk, heavily utilizing layers upon layers of reverb and fuzz. But they also seem to have an appreciation for the more tongue-in-cheek aesthetic of Brit punk, leaving plenty of space for brash vocals and joyous harmonies. Both sensibilities combine for an LP that’s as wreckless and carefree as it is determined and lethally-efficient. Highlights include lead single “Blak Water”, “Teeth”, and “Fine!”. - Consequence of Sound

96. Criminal Hygiene- Blak Water - Rollo & Grady

96. Criminal Hygiene- Blak Water - Rollo & Grady

01. criminal hygiene – CRMNL HYGNE LP This is a LA Band that needs to get the fuck out of dodge and over to the east coast. It’s our number one pick because it reminds us of the good ole-days of slanted and enchanted meets Sorry ma forgot to take out trash. Most of you will hate it for which reasons I won’t be able to help you because this record is not polished but shines because of it’s basic elements of song like fIREHOSE were forever loveable . The music stands-out all on it’s own. [ BUY IT ] The standout tracks are “Alan, I’m in Love”, “Immortal eighteens”, “blak water” and “get an education” - Review Stalker

01. criminal hygiene – CRMNL HYGNE LP This is a LA Band that needs to get the fuck out of dodge and over to the east coast. It’s our number one pick because it reminds us of the good ole-days of slanted and enchanted meets Sorry ma forgot to take out trash. Most of you will hate it for which reasons I won’t be able to help you because this record is not polished but shines because of it’s basic elements of song like fIREHOSE were forever loveable . The music stands-out all on it’s own. [ BUY IT ] The standout tracks are “Alan, I’m in Love”, “Immortal eighteens”, “blak water” and “get an education” - Review Stalker

Garage-pop trio Criminal Hygiene's self-titled debut is a blend of catchy song structures and skate-rat not-give-a-fuckery. Vocalist-songwriter James Watson's front teeth are false, the result of a skateboard to the face.

See also: Purgatory Pizza: The Punk Rock Pie Shop

It looks like the tradition of East L.A.'s Purgatory Pizza forging bands in its ovens continues. Two of Criminal Hygiene's members, drummer Sean Erickson and guitarist Michael Fiore, have flipped pies there, and Watson regularly haunts the premises.

Some folks have compared them to Fidlar, another Purgatory band. One blog, meanwhile, called Criminal Hygiene's single "Rearrange Me" "gutter punk." The comparison is an easy one to make, but their sound is actually far more rooted in the tradition of The Replacements than straightforward L.A. punk; "Rearrange Me" would not have felt out of place on Tim.

Still, they don't totally discount the influence of the raucous garage punk sound. "You always hear about music scenes developing," says Watson, "but it was really inspiring to see it happen in real life. Especially to see bands like Pangea come together and pack the Observatory during Burgerama." Criminal Hygiene view the sound as liberating rather than constricting. "Before we were in different projects really writing to a genre," says Fiore. "This band allowed us to just experiment and improvise and interesting stuff came out of it."

"It's liberating to sing loud," adds Watson.

Criminal Hygiene also channels some of The Replacements' live tendencies: smashing instruments, inebriation, and enduring the shaken fists of venue owners. They were recently banned for life from playing The Redwood downtown, they say. (A Redwood promoter reached by phone confirmed that the bar definitely isn't looking to book them again.)

"Some teenybopper punk band dressed like current Green Day was opening to a bunch of girls with braces and fanny-packs so naturally we started drinking heavily," says Fiore. Their friends and fans had similar ideas, and the ruckus began to escalate. People were throwing beer, knocking over the mic stands and throwing a metal garbage can around. Fiore's cousin was wearing an cockroach costume.

According to Fiore they close every set with a jam at the end where they get wild and dance around. But this time there was an abundance of violence, cables coming unplugged, glass breaking. At the peak of a song Watson smashed his bass through a painting hanging on the wall and dove onto the drum set. The venue shut the sound off on them and they were told they weren't welcome back.

Someone from the Redwood threw some of their equipment to the curb and wouldn't let them come back in. "Its a shame because we have a lot of respect for The Redwood, the history of it," says Fiore. "We never intended for that to happen. It just got out of hand."

Antics like these have inspired a little bit of directed wrath. Popular High Voltage blogger Trina Green tweeted: Note to self: avoid ANY show where wannabe retard punks Criminal Hygiene are on the line up after she apparently witnessed the band throwing beer cans at people during a show. The band responded on Twitter and a mini-feud ensued.

But after the dust of internet buzz settles what will matter is the quality of Criminal Hygiene's music, and their debut goes a long way in displaying their chops. And it's our opinion that if you're not willing to get a beer can to the face you probably shouldn't be at a rock show in the first place.

Criminal Hygiene plays at Lot 1 Cafe on December 12th. - L.A. Weekly

Garage-pop trio Criminal Hygiene's self-titled debut is a blend of catchy song structures and skate-rat not-give-a-fuckery. Vocalist-songwriter James Watson's front teeth are false, the result of a skateboard to the face.

See also: Purgatory Pizza: The Punk Rock Pie Shop

It looks like the tradition of East L.A.'s Purgatory Pizza forging bands in its ovens continues. Two of Criminal Hygiene's members, drummer Sean Erickson and guitarist Michael Fiore, have flipped pies there, and Watson regularly haunts the premises.

Some folks have compared them to Fidlar, another Purgatory band. One blog, meanwhile, called Criminal Hygiene's single "Rearrange Me" "gutter punk." The comparison is an easy one to make, but their sound is actually far more rooted in the tradition of The Replacements than straightforward L.A. punk; "Rearrange Me" would not have felt out of place on Tim.

Still, they don't totally discount the influence of the raucous garage punk sound. "You always hear about music scenes developing," says Watson, "but it was really inspiring to see it happen in real life. Especially to see bands like Pangea come together and pack the Observatory during Burgerama." Criminal Hygiene view the sound as liberating rather than constricting. "Before we were in different projects really writing to a genre," says Fiore. "This band allowed us to just experiment and improvise and interesting stuff came out of it."

"It's liberating to sing loud," adds Watson.

Criminal Hygiene also channels some of The Replacements' live tendencies: smashing instruments, inebriation, and enduring the shaken fists of venue owners. They were recently banned for life from playing The Redwood downtown, they say. (A Redwood promoter reached by phone confirmed that the bar definitely isn't looking to book them again.)

"Some teenybopper punk band dressed like current Green Day was opening to a bunch of girls with braces and fanny-packs so naturally we started drinking heavily," says Fiore. Their friends and fans had similar ideas, and the ruckus began to escalate. People were throwing beer, knocking over the mic stands and throwing a metal garbage can around. Fiore's cousin was wearing an cockroach costume.

According to Fiore they close every set with a jam at the end where they get wild and dance around. But this time there was an abundance of violence, cables coming unplugged, glass breaking. At the peak of a song Watson smashed his bass through a painting hanging on the wall and dove onto the drum set. The venue shut the sound off on them and they were told they weren't welcome back.

Someone from the Redwood threw some of their equipment to the curb and wouldn't let them come back in. "Its a shame because we have a lot of respect for The Redwood, the history of it," says Fiore. "We never intended for that to happen. It just got out of hand."

Antics like these have inspired a little bit of directed wrath. Popular High Voltage blogger Trina Green tweeted: Note to self: avoid ANY show where wannabe retard punks Criminal Hygiene are on the line up after she apparently witnessed the band throwing beer cans at people during a show. The band responded on Twitter and a mini-feud ensued.

But after the dust of internet buzz settles what will matter is the quality of Criminal Hygiene's music, and their debut goes a long way in displaying their chops. And it's our opinion that if you're not willing to get a beer can to the face you probably shouldn't be at a rock show in the first place.

Criminal Hygiene plays at Lot 1 Cafe on December 12th. - L.A. Weekly

We fell in love with LA based Criminal Hygiene the moment we heard them. It’s garage punk rock at it’s very best — plenty of dirt with just a little strange thrown in. We were so infatuated with their two singles, the rollicking “Black Water” (complete with perhaps the catchiest backing vocals of the year) and “Rearrange Me”, that we asked James, Sean and Michael to make us a mix of songs they were influenced by when making their debut LP. - Wild Honey Pie

We’re once again struggling with the in-box and a bunch of tunes that need sharing, but not the time to do them justice with the write-ups. Take our word for it though, these are all worth further investigation.

LA skater punks, Criminal Hygiene offer up their latest single, Rearrange Me, a bitter ode to unhealthy relationships, full of rough and raspy vocals met with a charging bassline, showcasing this trio’s array of sonic influences, as Michael Fiore croons,”you say I’m inconsistent/you have to admit, I’m fuckin’ consistent.“ - Mad Mackerel

We’re once again struggling with the in-box and a bunch of tunes that need sharing, but not the time to do them justice with the write-ups. Take our word for it though, these are all worth further investigation.

LA skater punks, Criminal Hygiene offer up their latest single, Rearrange Me, a bitter ode to unhealthy relationships, full of rough and raspy vocals met with a charging bassline, showcasing this trio’s array of sonic influences, as Michael Fiore croons,”you say I’m inconsistent/you have to admit, I’m fuckin’ consistent.“ - Mad Mackerel

It’s rare that I get a song in my inbox from a band I’ve never heard and immediately think everyone I know needs to check it out. Well that’s what came to mind the first time I listening to this track “Rearrange Me” from L.A. based raw punk outfit Criminal Hygiene. More than just your average punk rock song, I can actually hear the “I don’t give a shit” emotion coming through on the vocals. This 4 minute beauty is one to spin over and over.

Criminal Hygiene have a new LP entitled CRMNL HYGNE coming out on January 15th via Small Smile Records. - Austin Town Hall

It’s rare that I get a song in my inbox from a band I’ve never heard and immediately think everyone I know needs to check it out. Well that’s what came to mind the first time I listening to this track “Rearrange Me” from L.A. based raw punk outfit Criminal Hygiene. More than just your average punk rock song, I can actually hear the “I don’t give a shit” emotion coming through on the vocals. This 4 minute beauty is one to spin over and over.

Criminal Hygiene have a new LP entitled CRMNL HYGNE coming out on January 15th via Small Smile Records. - Austin Town Hall

In Their Words: "We were drinking one afternoon in singer James' backyard, and I was humming a melody through a broken distorting monitor. Some landscapers were fixing the grass, and at the height of our buzz, one of the workers hit a pipe and black water started shooting out from the ground like a geyser. Everything kind of gets blurry from that point, but we recorded this song..." -- Singer Michael Fiore - Spinner

In Their Words: "We were drinking one afternoon in singer James' backyard, and I was humming a melody through a broken distorting monitor. Some landscapers were fixing the grass, and at the height of our buzz, one of the workers hit a pipe and black water started shooting out from the ground like a geyser. Everything kind of gets blurry from that point, but we recorded this song..." -- Singer Michael Fiore - Spinner

We've all seen it happen: when a friend is up to his neck in an unhealthy relationship. His girlfriend wants to know who's calling him and is often a nag for whatever reason. Some dudes are unfortunately "whipped." Other dudes—three Angelenos called Criminal Hygiene—decide to write a song in defiance.

Streaming below is nearly four minutes of grunge and garage rock heaven entitled "Rearrange Me": one of 17 tracks on debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE, available January 15, 2013 via Small Smile Records.

There's badass basslines and dexterous guitars, both carried by gruff vocals nonchalantly declaring, "you say I'm inconsistent/you have to admit, I'm fuckin' consistent." If you sing until you're hoarse, you're doing it right. - Filter Magazine

We've all seen it happen: when a friend is up to his neck in an unhealthy relationship. His girlfriend wants to know who's calling him and is often a nag for whatever reason. Some dudes are unfortunately "whipped." Other dudes—three Angelenos called Criminal Hygiene—decide to write a song in defiance.

Streaming below is nearly four minutes of grunge and garage rock heaven entitled "Rearrange Me": one of 17 tracks on debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE, available January 15, 2013 via Small Smile Records.

There's badass basslines and dexterous guitars, both carried by gruff vocals nonchalantly declaring, "you say I'm inconsistent/you have to admit, I'm fuckin' consistent." If you sing until you're hoarse, you're doing it right. - Filter Magazine

** featured on front page - Buzz Chips

** featured on front page - Buzz Chips

When digging for new tunes, I generally seek to hit a comfortable cross-section of the familiar and the innovative. Sure, it would be great if every artist we digested offered up an inherently novel idea, but nine times out of 10 that simply is not the case. As a result, I often find myself gravitating toward projects that contain some element of home. On the map, East Los Angeles appears a half-lightyear away from Indianapolis. However, newly formed garage outfit Criminal Hygiene is a direct reflection of the sounds that pour out of the DIY spaces of Indy’s Fountain Square on a weekly basis.

Criminal Hygiene’s brash, fuzz-driven sound appears built around a single motive: quickening the pulse of the fortunate souls within earshot. The group recently dropped the track “Blak Water,” available for free download below. It’s the first taste of the band’s debut LP CRMNL HYGNE scheduled for release via Small Smile Records on January 15. Awash in distorted rebellion, “Blak Water” transplants the listener to the basement of a raucous college house party. The stench of stale keg beer and the smothering choke of an aggressive bong rip are almost palpable. In creating this environment, Criminal Hygiene feels more like an old friend than a new acquaintance. - Thoughts on Tracks

When digging for new tunes, I generally seek to hit a comfortable cross-section of the familiar and the innovative. Sure, it would be great if every artist we digested offered up an inherently novel idea, but nine times out of 10 that simply is not the case. As a result, I often find myself gravitating toward projects that contain some element of home. On the map, East Los Angeles appears a half-lightyear away from Indianapolis. However, newly formed garage outfit Criminal Hygiene is a direct reflection of the sounds that pour out of the DIY spaces of Indy’s Fountain Square on a weekly basis.

Criminal Hygiene’s brash, fuzz-driven sound appears built around a single motive: quickening the pulse of the fortunate souls within earshot. The group recently dropped the track “Blak Water,” available for free download below. It’s the first taste of the band’s debut LP CRMNL HYGNE scheduled for release via Small Smile Records on January 15. Awash in distorted rebellion, “Blak Water” transplants the listener to the basement of a raucous college house party. The stench of stale keg beer and the smothering choke of an aggressive bong rip are almost palpable. In creating this environment, Criminal Hygiene feels more like an old friend than a new acquaintance. - Thoughts on Tracks

Amidst the punk revival permeating the streets of Los Angeles, lie Criminal Hygiene. Drenched in reverb soaked guitar and nascent fuzz, this garage rock trio's scuzzy bass lines and crashing cymbals meet infectious melodies and brash vocals for a Brit punk sensibility that's decidedly raw and visceral, particularly on first singe, "Blak Water."Recorded in and around LA, their debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE is to be released by LA based artist collective, Small Smile Records on January 15th. A hefty 17 song offering that clocks in at just under 40 minutes, the CRMNL HYGNE LP is full of two minute gems that borrow an array of sonic elements ranging from the thrashing rock The Replacements, 90's era grunge to the skate punk aesthetic of FIDLAR.

Criminal Hygiene formed in October, 2011 over a couple of really good burgers at Olympian Family Restaurant in South Central Los Angeles. Eat lunch there and you might start a band too, its a fucking great establishment. On that shameless day, founding member Michael Fiore took a break from his double bacon chee to share with founding member James Pratley Watson a simple idea: "Let's record some music…" to which founding member James replied: "Let's get drunk first…". The duo did those things that day, and thus, Criminal Hygiene was formed. At this time, they were in their last year at the University of Southern California, and frequently skipped class over the next 7 months to get drunk in the middle of the day to record music. They were angry, lost, and generally not giving a fuck. Since then, an angel by the name of Sean "Bird Man" Erickson has swooped down from Tacoma on the wings of his incredible mustache to join the band on drums. With the addition of Bird Man, Criminal Hygiene has become a real band, with purpose and meaning for themselves, the music world, and beyond - or at least they are still trying to figure that part out...

CRMNL HYGNE LP
Out January 15, 2013 via Small Smile Records
Track Listing:

Neurtoics
Andrew's Song
Teeth
Rearrange Me
Get An Education!
Beneath the Flame
Dirty Knees
Blak Water
Full Lunar Eclipse
Snow Day
Immortal Eighteens
Fine!
Summertime in October
Kangaroo
Alan, I'm In Love
Neurotics Too
Grady Get Angry


- Plug In Music

Amidst the punk revival permeating the streets of Los Angeles, lie Criminal Hygiene. Drenched in reverb soaked guitar and nascent fuzz, this garage rock trio's scuzzy bass lines and crashing cymbals meet infectious melodies and brash vocals for a Brit punk sensibility that's decidedly raw and visceral, particularly on first singe, "Blak Water."Recorded in and around LA, their debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE is to be released by LA based artist collective, Small Smile Records on January 15th. A hefty 17 song offering that clocks in at just under 40 minutes, the CRMNL HYGNE LP is full of two minute gems that borrow an array of sonic elements ranging from the thrashing rock The Replacements, 90's era grunge to the skate punk aesthetic of FIDLAR.

Criminal Hygiene formed in October, 2011 over a couple of really good burgers at Olympian Family Restaurant in South Central Los Angeles. Eat lunch there and you might start a band too, its a fucking great establishment. On that shameless day, founding member Michael Fiore took a break from his double bacon chee to share with founding member James Pratley Watson a simple idea: "Let's record some music…" to which founding member James replied: "Let's get drunk first…". The duo did those things that day, and thus, Criminal Hygiene was formed. At this time, they were in their last year at the University of Southern California, and frequently skipped class over the next 7 months to get drunk in the middle of the day to record music. They were angry, lost, and generally not giving a fuck. Since then, an angel by the name of Sean "Bird Man" Erickson has swooped down from Tacoma on the wings of his incredible mustache to join the band on drums. With the addition of Bird Man, Criminal Hygiene has become a real band, with purpose and meaning for themselves, the music world, and beyond - or at least they are still trying to figure that part out...

CRMNL HYGNE LP
Out January 15, 2013 via Small Smile Records
Track Listing:

Neurtoics
Andrew's Song
Teeth
Rearrange Me
Get An Education!
Beneath the Flame
Dirty Knees
Blak Water
Full Lunar Eclipse
Snow Day
Immortal Eighteens
Fine!
Summertime in October
Kangaroo
Alan, I'm In Love
Neurotics Too
Grady Get Angry


- Plug In Music

Garage rock trio Criminal Hygiene will release their debut album, CRMNL HYGNE, on January 15th through Small Smile Records. At 17 songs but clocking in at just under 40 minutes, the album’s thrashing rock ranges is reminiscent of The Replacements, ’90s era grunge, and the punk rock of FIDLAR. The band has released the album’s first single. Listen to the raw, unchained power of “Blak Water” after the jump. - Earbuddy

Garage rock trio Criminal Hygiene will release their debut album, CRMNL HYGNE, on January 15th through Small Smile Records. At 17 songs but clocking in at just under 40 minutes, the album’s thrashing rock ranges is reminiscent of The Replacements, ’90s era grunge, and the punk rock of FIDLAR. The band has released the album’s first single. Listen to the raw, unchained power of “Blak Water” after the jump. - Earbuddy

The Skinny: Amidst the punk revival permeating the streets of Los Angeles, lie Criminal Hygiene. Drenched in reverb-soaked guitar and nascent fuzz, this garage rock trio's scuzzy bass lines and crashing cymbals meet infectious melodies and brash vocals for a Brit punk sensibility that's decidedly raw and visceral, particularly on first singe, "Blak Water". Grab the free download of this sweet track today!

Recorded in and around LA, their debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE is to be released by LA-based artist collective, Small Smile Records on January 15th. A hefty 17 song offering that clocks in at just under 40 minutes, the CRMNL HYGNE LP is full of two minute gems that borrow an array of sonic elements ranging from the thrashing rock The Replacements, 90's era grunge to the skate punk aesthetic of FIDLAR. - Pure Grain Audio

The Skinny: Amidst the punk revival permeating the streets of Los Angeles, lie Criminal Hygiene. Drenched in reverb-soaked guitar and nascent fuzz, this garage rock trio's scuzzy bass lines and crashing cymbals meet infectious melodies and brash vocals for a Brit punk sensibility that's decidedly raw and visceral, particularly on first singe, "Blak Water". Grab the free download of this sweet track today!

Recorded in and around LA, their debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE is to be released by LA-based artist collective, Small Smile Records on January 15th. A hefty 17 song offering that clocks in at just under 40 minutes, the CRMNL HYGNE LP is full of two minute gems that borrow an array of sonic elements ranging from the thrashing rock The Replacements, 90's era grunge to the skate punk aesthetic of FIDLAR. - Pure Grain Audio

The internet has both helped and hindered the music world. We have total access to bands we wouldn't otherwise, but at the same time, we are also troubled with more terrible music. The bad might discourage us if we didn’t reserve time to dig deeper and ?nd new music. However once the effort is made, we are greeted with something special and rare. This is the case for CRMNL HYGNE, a band that honestly, I would have no idea existed if not for the internet. Who is this elusive group that refuses, for the most part, to use vowels? They are a Los Angeles out?t from the Small Smile Records art collective, which features an array of artists and musicians.

CRMNL HYGNE make burnt out, gritty, punk rock influenced by Pixies and Nirvana. The single “Blak Water” is a classic example of coherent, good, rock n' roll nostalgic for the stripped and simple rock music of the 90s. The track also carries a slight garage influence with harmonizing in the track featuring the typical ooh-ing. “Blak Water” is currently a free download via their bandcamp, or handmade samplers can be purchased for donations of $5 dollars or more. - Lo-Pie

The internet has both helped and hindered the music world. We have total access to bands we wouldn't otherwise, but at the same time, we are also troubled with more terrible music. The bad might discourage us if we didn’t reserve time to dig deeper and ?nd new music. However once the effort is made, we are greeted with something special and rare. This is the case for CRMNL HYGNE, a band that honestly, I would have no idea existed if not for the internet. Who is this elusive group that refuses, for the most part, to use vowels? They are a Los Angeles out?t from the Small Smile Records art collective, which features an array of artists and musicians.

CRMNL HYGNE make burnt out, gritty, punk rock influenced by Pixies and Nirvana. The single “Blak Water” is a classic example of coherent, good, rock n' roll nostalgic for the stripped and simple rock music of the 90s. The track also carries a slight garage influence with harmonizing in the track featuring the typical ooh-ing. “Blak Water” is currently a free download via their bandcamp, or handmade samplers can be purchased for donations of $5 dollars or more. - Lo-Pie

If you plan on hosting a nice dinner with some quiet music to entertain your guests for the rest of your civil evening, L.A.’s Criminal Hygiene is not your band. If the sound of broken bottles at the beginning of tunes like “Blak Water” don’t tell you what’s up, then maybe the brash vocals, reverb-drenched guitars and crashing cymbals will give you the idea. James P. Watson, Michael Fiore and Sean Erickson are the guys who play the party you think you can throw and get away with while your parents are out of town. (That is, until you’re cleaning up shattered vases, torn couch cushions and stale beer in red Solo cups the morning Mom and Pops return.) With pop melodies and scuzzy bass lines in songs that clock in at just two minutes each on their forthcoming debut LP “CRMNL HYGNE” (out Jan. 15 via Small Smile Records), Criminal Hygiene are well on their way to playing their raucous anthems for the rowdiest of kids (young and old). File next to FIDLAR, and don’t be surprised if they end up in your Burger Records collection someday. - Buzzbands LA

If you plan on hosting a nice dinner with some quiet music to entertain your guests for the rest of your civil evening, L.A.’s Criminal Hygiene is not your band. If the sound of broken bottles at the beginning of tunes like “Blak Water” don’t tell you what’s up, then maybe the brash vocals, reverb-drenched guitars and crashing cymbals will give you the idea. James P. Watson, Michael Fiore and Sean Erickson are the guys who play the party you think you can throw and get away with while your parents are out of town. (That is, until you’re cleaning up shattered vases, torn couch cushions and stale beer in red Solo cups the morning Mom and Pops return.) With pop melodies and scuzzy bass lines in songs that clock in at just two minutes each on their forthcoming debut LP “CRMNL HYGNE” (out Jan. 15 via Small Smile Records), Criminal Hygiene are well on their way to playing their raucous anthems for the rowdiest of kids (young and old). File next to FIDLAR, and don’t be surprised if they end up in your Burger Records collection someday. - Buzzbands LA

We introduced you to the newest member of the INDIGENOUS fam, CRIMINAL HYGIENE, last week and now we’re stoked to announce the release of their debut LP, CRMNL HYGNE , slated for a January 15th release via local artist collective, Small Smile Records.

Recorded in and around LA, this local trio compromised of Michael Firore, James Pratley Watson and Sean “Birdman” Erickson have already been lauded by The Deli LA and Rollo & Grady as Artists to Watch for their scuzzy garage rock sound. Borrowing sonic elements ranging from the thrashing rock of The Replacements, 90's era Nirvana grunge and the skate punk revival of FIDLAR, Criminal Hygiene’s 17 song debut LP is full of two minute gems. Check their first single, “Blak Water,” a reverb soaked gem heavy on infectious melodies and featuring Michael Fiore’s throaty vocals. - Indigenous

Hometown: Los Angeles
Album: Black Water Single (BC)
Label: Unsigned - Rollo & Grady

rash and relentlessly energetic, East LA's Criminal Hygiene are a trio of snotty buds that play pop hooks in disguise, littered with loads of reverb and trenchant guitar lines. Fuzz may be the overlying element in their sound, but it's merely an accouterment to songs that merge somewhere between blissfully ragged and straight up garage rock. Their latest self-titled LP can be described as defiant except that it also coupled with a laconic attitude, piling up one sloppy arrangement after another as if they're unpreoccupied with the end result. But it's also refreshingly loose in execution, trying to make sense out of different generations of rock with boundless vigor and with much more swing than its surface implies. - The Deli Magazine

rash and relentlessly energetic, East LA's Criminal Hygiene are a trio of snotty buds that play pop hooks in disguise, littered with loads of reverb and trenchant guitar lines. Fuzz may be the overlying element in their sound, but it's merely an accouterment to songs that merge somewhere between blissfully ragged and straight up garage rock. Their latest self-titled LP can be described as defiant except that it also coupled with a laconic attitude, piling up one sloppy arrangement after another as if they're unpreoccupied with the end result. But it's also refreshingly loose in execution, trying to make sense out of different generations of rock with boundless vigor and with much more swing than its surface implies. - The Deli Magazine

I don’t know shit about this band called CRYMNL HYGNE but they have enough variety in their songs to satisfy most pavement fans, brit punk and the Swell Maps with one firm kick to the balls. I don’t know how I do it but somehow this stuff finds me this way. Which is really is the soul purpose of this blog to make me turn on my bar stool. There have been dry spells at times then suddenly a few random hits and I’m in cheap beer heaven. Mangod I hope there is such a thing? I would post every song of their’s if I could but you’ll just have to go listen for yourself on their bandcamp page like I did and drop them some dough. It’s raw at times like sorry ma forgot to take out the trash the suddenly they show-off with a guitar melody or two. Yeah this full length is that fun and raw. This is everything a college drop-out rock experience should sound like. Anyway, thank these fine folks over at www.smallsmilerecords.com collective who can spells better than us for sure. - Review Stalker

I don’t know shit about this band called CRYMNL HYGNE but they have enough variety in their songs to satisfy most pavement fans, brit punk and the Swell Maps with one firm kick to the balls. I don’t know how I do it but somehow this stuff finds me this way. Which is really is the soul purpose of this blog to make me turn on my bar stool. There have been dry spells at times then suddenly a few random hits and I’m in cheap beer heaven. Mangod I hope there is such a thing? I would post every song of their’s if I could but you’ll just have to go listen for yourself on their bandcamp page like I did and drop them some dough. It’s raw at times like sorry ma forgot to take out the trash the suddenly they show-off with a guitar melody or two. Yeah this full length is that fun and raw. This is everything a college drop-out rock experience should sound like. Anyway, thank these fine folks over at www.smallsmilerecords.com collective who can spells better than us for sure. - Review Stalker

Los Angeles band CRMNL HYGNE may not be alone in the punk revival movement coming out of this city, but they have a keen sense of something genuine behind the dated aesthetic, and effectively capture a dual nature caught between apathy and anarchy.

Drowned vocals and soaked guitar lines weave in and out of each other as seamless equals, and they are aware of when to let instrumentation convey the necessary feeling when mere language hits its wall. There’s a 70s-era skepticism, the kind that comes off the heels of crashing optimism, filtered through a floating, post-millennial daydream.

Filled with the sort of tunes that render hours of the day useless, and instead extend a soundscape of abstractly passing time, the CRMNL HYGNE EP is at once thriving off and disillusioned by youth, though isn’t a bleak record by any means. There’s a prettiness buried within the grunge, and as much as I suspect this word would repulse them, it’s a quality that’s very much there.

It’s hard not to hear drops of Kurt Cobain’s influence over this record, of Nirvana’s moody, burnt rock that could have spawned entirely from a day of listening to the passive, latent sexuality of “Rape Me.” Ambient noise and sparks of laughter punctuate a debut that doesn’t seem to come from a place without hope, but whose malaise reflects the feelings of being stuck between places, and between choices. - Quit Mumbling

Los Angeles band CRMNL HYGNE may not be alone in the punk revival movement coming out of this city, but they have a keen sense of something genuine behind the dated aesthetic, and effectively capture a dual nature caught between apathy and anarchy.

Drowned vocals and soaked guitar lines weave in and out of each other as seamless equals, and they are aware of when to let instrumentation convey the necessary feeling when mere language hits its wall. There’s a 70s-era skepticism, the kind that comes off the heels of crashing optimism, filtered through a floating, post-millennial daydream.

Filled with the sort of tunes that render hours of the day useless, and instead extend a soundscape of abstractly passing time, the CRMNL HYGNE EP is at once thriving off and disillusioned by youth, though isn’t a bleak record by any means. There’s a prettiness buried within the grunge, and as much as I suspect this word would repulse them, it’s a quality that’s very much there.

It’s hard not to hear drops of Kurt Cobain’s influence over this record, of Nirvana’s moody, burnt rock that could have spawned entirely from a day of listening to the passive, latent sexuality of “Rape Me.” Ambient noise and sparks of laughter punctuate a debut that doesn’t seem to come from a place without hope, but whose malaise reflects the feelings of being stuck between places, and between choices. - Quit Mumbling

California zine Cultist launches a label with this new release from LA rock dudes Criminal Hygiene. No word yet on how illegally disgusting they may be, but "Withdrawn," the lead single from the 7-inch, is appropriately nasty, hitting licks and swaggering out the door. This is the kind of jam that never goes out of style. The whole EP is out Tuesday—info here. - Fader

The Los Angeles band Criminal Hygiene seems like a group of chill bros. I mean, just look at them! How could you not want to smoke a fat doob and talk about Big Star with those guys? Do you hate good things???

ANYWAYS, the band has a new seven-inch due out Tuesday, January 20th on New Professor Music, featuring their previously-released "Turpentine," as well as a cover of Devo's "Uncontrollable Urge." Listen to it below, and if you fuxwit it, order it here. - Vice