Erik Nervous - Immaturity

FatCat Records

£23.04

Format: LP
Catalogue No.: FATLP175
Barcode: 0600116517517
Release Date: 01 Dec 2023
Genre: Punk/Hardcore

 Most of ‘Immaturity’ was written, as it was recorded, in the basement of Erik’s rural North Eastern Indiana home - the same house he’s lived in all his life. The title of the record reflects Erik’s refusal to grow up. “I don’t think I’m particularly mature for my age,” he says. “I still live at home with my family, I eat fast food and drink soda, I don’t really have an actual job. Very George Costanza.”
 Song subjects range from anxiety (‘Ninth’, ‘Third Layer’) to astral projection (‘Projector’). “As with most of my music, generally I’m voicing or working through my worries and anxieties with myself, work, other people, and getting through life,” says Erik.
 ‘Ankle Deep’ and ‘Bottle V Record’ detail Erik’s disliking of alcohol and society’s reverence for it. The former illustrates a desire for life to be about more than “drinking and talking to people,” whilst the latter is about the artists preference to spend twenty bucks on records rather than booze.
 Lead single ‘Drop Dead’ was, as Erik describes “One of those special ones that just flowed out of my head ready to go,” but the writing process wasn’t always as straightforward. “I’m very procrastinatory when it comes to lyrics, so to rid myself of nearly all distractions, I turned off my WiFi and locked myself in my basement studio for most of a week until I finished writing and recording them,” he says.
 A big fan of fellow self-taught ‘outsider’ artists, and the DIY ethic, Erik’s sonic armoury contains yellowed plastic Casiotones, Yamaha Portasounds, and a smiling cat-shaped
Meowsic keyboard, all purchased from yard sales, Goodwills, and misspelt eBay auctions. These, and a Tyco toy guitar all add to the album’s nostalgic retreat back into a treasured childhood, and its overall irresistible, enthusiasm packed, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, joyful punch. However, don’t let the self-deprecating playfulness fool you. Erik is totally schooled and has serious chops.
 “Erik Nervous, a name well known amongst all midwest DIY punks” - Post-Trash

Tracklisting
Ninth
Ankle Deep
Drop Dead
Pretentious Instrumental
Innanet
Heemgeh
Comfortable Lies
She Was A Hotel Detective
Projector
Third Layer
Alligator Facing East
Bottle vs Record