Nothing Fits

Tyvek (or, Tvyek, if you go along with their ultimate choice after a court ordered name-change) have pulled off the rather nifty trick of breeding the early, post-punk sturm und drang of England’s Wire with the snarl of garage fume-fueled, Detroit punk. Where their self-titled 2009 debut broke up the pace now and again with noodly interludes and Pere Ubu-esque art-skronk, Nothing Fits plows straight ahead into pure punk nirvana, burning through a dozen tracks with gusto. Opener “4312” is a tasty example of their Detroit/UK hybrid experiment: vocalist Kevin Boyer counts off “4312!” just like Colin Newman counted off “12XU!” at the beginning of that Wire song, with clanging guitar chords kicking in like a bull seeing red (as did Bruce Gilbert’s guitar on “12XU”). But suddenly, the Tyvek tune takes on a distinctly American vibe, and the guitars shift to a greasy, garage punk gallop and background vocals soar in a fist-pumping chorus. It’s a seamless blend of two hugely influential sounds in rock music. Spiced with thrilling vintage riffs (“Outer Limits”), feral savagery (“Future Junk,” “Blocks”), and hints at melodic sweetness (“Underwater 2”), Nothing Fits is a powerhouse.