Fronted by part-time writer of note Michael McClelland, the guitarist and singer describes the band's new EP as a ''collection of little songs about how crazy I am and how crazy we are as people''.
Joining McClelland is guitarist Ary Jansen (ex FATANGRYMAN), drummer Sam Shepland, and bassist Philip van Zijl.
Recorded at Auckland's Whammy Bar by Dunedinite Nick Graham, Screaming In Tongues crushes dancy punk and raucous noise together across its five self-loathing tracks.
The EP opens intensely with 30sec of raw ''Speech Therapy'' primal scream style, before dropping into a rather upbeat track plainly called Kill Me.
Lead single Duck My Sick, sees McClelland describing a panic attack experience, while around him the instruments clang and ring with all the dissonance and disorientation of such a moment.
To accompany the track, McClelland and his bandmates have crafted a hyper-real DIY video focusing on McClelland's oiled torso and disturbing digitally warped faces.
''It took quite a while to make,'' McClelland says.
''I didn't really have a concrete idea about it, just rough inspiration.
''I had to do a lot of digital animation, which I was very inexperienced at.''
The resulting video, however, rolls like a DIY classic: weird and joyous. And if the echo emanating about Team Ugly is to be believed, the band building a reputation for great live performances of late, their performance is something similar, packed with confrontation and audience participation. Having played in a few two-pieces over the years, McClelland is simply enjoying the chance to have a full-powered band behind the songs.
''You can feel quite underpowered in a two-piece, like you're one guy just driving a truck or something,'' he says, ''but in a four-piece you just have all these people to help you with turning gears or whatever (laughs)''.
''With Team Ugly, it's some kind of deranged magic school bus.''
Screaming In Tongues will be available on limited edition cassette, thanks to excellent Christchurch independent label Melted Ice Cream, and online for free.
• Christchurch folk-noir duo The Tiny Lies have a new album out and are celebrating with a nationwide tour featuring troubadour Delaney Davidson. After nine shows, the tour finishes in Dunedin tonight at Port Chalmers' Chick's Hotel.
Titled The Oaks They Will Bow, the album is being released by Lyttelton Records, and is a collection of haunting numbers featuring acoustic guitar and harmonised vocals.
Be there
• Team Ugly (Auckland), The Dance Asthmatics (Christchurch), Opposite Sex and Zebu, tonight, at Queens (1 Queens Gardens), doors, 9pm $5. www.facebook.com/teamuglyteamugly
• The Tiny Lies with Delaney Davidson, tonight, at Chick's Hotel, Port Chalmers, 9pm. Pre-sale tickets available from undertheradar.co.nzThe Chick's Hotel Magic Bus departs Countdown Central at 8.30pm and the University of Otago at 8.35pm and returns to town at 1am. Free with your 2013 Radio One Card
