The Jesus Lizard – “Cost Of Living”

Last month, the Stereogum staff got together in Las Vegas for the Best Friends Forever festival. The Jesus Lizard, recently-reactivated ’90s noise-rock overlords, played a wild and slightly concerning set at that festival; David Yow was definitely down in the front row making out with randos like it was still 1993. But that wasn’t the only thing that Yow did in Vegas. While we were out there, we could’ve theoretically paid $100 a head for Yow to give us a guided tour of Fat Mike’s Punk Rock Museum. Just like the rest of us, David Yow knows about the cost of living.

Earlier this fall, the Jesus Lizard released Rack, their first new album in 26 years. It’s pretty remarkable to hear these guys summon the cranky, splenetic fire of their younger years, and they’re not done yet. Today, the Jesus Lizard share the Rack outtake “Cost Of Living.” It’s a nervous, seasick two-minute ripper with sharp, jagged, extremely nasty riffs. I can’t make out the lyrics, so I don’t know what David Yow is actually bleating about. He might not know, either.

Talking about the new song, Yow says, “Simply because I wrote the words to ‘Cost Of Living’ doesn’t mean that I know exactly what it’s about. I think it has to do with the dread and self-loathing that addicts experience on a very regular basis. You can pick whichever type of addict you choose.” Guitarist Duane Denison says, “A friend asked me if we had any tricked-out, odd-timing type things with twists and turns, and I said ‘Yeah, I think so…'” Check it out below.

“Cost Of Living” is out now on Ipecac. How crazy is it that we’re just putting up new Jesus Lizard songs in regular blog posts?