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Lamont “Bim” Thomas is an institution in underground Cleveland punk. He’s played drums in the Bassholes, and still does in This Moment in Black History and scuzz-psych collective Puffy Areolas (a band I mentioned in my “best live music of 2011” roundup). Over the summer Bim released an LP of one-man-band recordings under the name Obnox. I’m Bleeding Now, out on Smog Veil, was limited to 500 copies and flew under most folks’ radar. This incredibly soulful and criminally overlooked release stands on the middle ground between the hyperactive garage punk of Jay Reatard and the blown-out Ohio pop of Guided by Voices. Also of note: It’s got my favorite album artwork of the year. Bim’s face was on the front, blood dripping from his lips. The back cover? A broken glass bong, blood running down from the razor-sharp remains of the mouthpiece.
