Murder Ranks at Moe's Original BBQ

While Vivid Imagination is probably ancient history to most, bandmates Mike Buckley and Ben Williams went on to play in the more-familiar Nightshark (Buckley) and Ghost Buffalo (Williams). But back in the early '90s, when these guys were punk teenagers, they realized a dream by opening for the infamous and legendary Warlock Pinchers — and within the last year, the trio that was Vivid Imagination teamed up with King Scratchie of Pinchers fame to form Murder Ranks. If you assumed from its moniker that Murder Ranks (due at Moe's Original Barbecue on Friday, May 1) is charting reggae territory, you'd be correct — but think more hard dub mixed with edgy performance, à la the engagingly fractious and harried music of the Pop Group. Scratchie isn't playing it for laughs this time: This outfit lays out powerful, visceral grooves.