RUBBER BLANKET is the new project of Brad Eberhard, Jun Ohnuki—both of WOUNDED LION—and Lars Finberg of THE INTELLIGENCE. “New Garbage Truck” b/w “Pedestrian Walkway” is their debut 7”. The record is limited to 300 copies and comes with a silk-screened cover, designed by Jun Ohnuki and printed by Brad Eberhard.

I can’t help but think about the part in England’s Hidden Reverse wherein someone describes Sleazy Christopherson’s bedroom in the early Coil days, a painted-black room with a bed dressed in rubber sheets, when listening to this new group. It’s an enjoyable image, but it doesn’t quite suit Rubber Blanket, who are a new recording trio featuring Lars Finberg of The Intelligence and Brad Eberhard and Jun Ohnuki of Wounded Lion. The first Intelligence record received countless spins in my apartment (and even more in my car), and I’m glad to hear that same shambolic-yet-catchy DIY-punk essence within “New Garbage Truck”, which sputters across junky drums and a playful melody. “Pedestrian Walkway” works its magic from an even cruddier beat and a bloopy-bleepy keyboard, much in that early Intelligence fashion, sounding like Suicide guesting on Sesame Street. Very pleasant! I appreciate that both songs approach plain, negligible aspects of modern society with empathy and twisted appeal – I would love to get Rubber Blanket’s take on blowdriers, dog-walking and cellar doors, for example. It’s nice to have a full band and tour and “go for it” and all that, but Rubber Blanket seems to be more about putting together diminutive oddball pop songs with friends, and it suits them perfectly.
—Yellow Green Red