The trio Static Arm have been together since the summer of ’21, after Riley Schaffter noticed Lukas Magnuson’s Pixies hat while working together at Sweetwater. After talking Pixies and Jack White, these two were joined by drummer Jack Hanes and Static Arm was born.

Singer/guitarist Magnuson describes the band’s sound as old-school grunge/punk, with Mark Arm and Mudhoney being influences. I’d say that’s an accurate descriptor since the buzzsaw guitars and punk rock tempos do indeed lock into ’80s-era Sub Pop. 

On their latest, Beats and Samples, Static Arm slash through 12 songs and nearly 50 minutes of garage-meets-punk-meets-Pacific Northwest fuzz. With great production and memorable riffs, Beats and Samples has some serious staying power. It may be summer, but it’s time to pull the flannel from your closet.

Static Arm waste no time. After the 15-second “Intro” we are catapulted into the Tinnitus-inducing “Vote!” The Big Muff-flavored riff and Cry Baby wah guitar solo summons the spirit of Mark Arm and Van Conner with grunge glee. “Breakneck” keeps the sonic beating going with buzzing guitars and garage rock drums that connect right to the chin for a rock n’ roll beatdown. “Buddy” has a fuzzed-out bass line and bratty vocals that tow the line between Nirvana and Green River.

Static Arm blow through these 12 songs with rock n’ roll abandon and don’t stick to the two-minute formula that most punk rock tends to. “Kickin’ Rocks” lays waste to everything in its path for nearly six minutes, while “Cynic” starts out in a more dreamy vibe then turns into an all-out hootenanny complete with slide guitar and juke joint breakdown, all over seven banging minutes. Closer “OCD” gets down with some good ’ol rock n’ roll boogie in its eight-minute runtime, which then turns into an almost Alan Lomax field recording.

Static Arm continue the Fort Wayne tradition of truly great local rock n’ roll. Beats and Samples will be your local go-to summer jam.