4/15 - Gauntlet Hair

Okay, I'm gonna do something I have never done and will never do ever ever again. I am going to hand you this band via the words of Pitchfork. Normally speaking, though I'm not one of the supreme haters of that site, I'd still prefer not to namecheck it in my own blog. But in this case, frankly, there's really nothing more apt and perfect that I could really tell you about Gauntlet Hair that they didn't already. I will only add that I really really really like the song of which they write, and that while you may not be able to snag the Cults 7" that I mentioned yesterday anymore, you can keep your eyes on the very same label for Guantlet Hair's up and coming release of this song as an A side. Preorder info not yet available, but it will likely be posted soon, and will likely follow a quick dash to buy what limited copies they make available. Will one be yours? Not if I beat you to it, jive turkey.

Take it away, Pitchfork:

And the Worst Bandname of the Week award goes to... these guys! I don't know what Gauntlet Hair is, but it sounds like something people used to get diagnosed with in the 1820s when the docs were more creative. Not a big deal-- hey, you'll remember it. What matters is that "I Was Thinking..." is a delirious, fire-spewing stomper from this Denver-based avant-pop duo affiliated with Rhinoceropolis, the Denver DIY space which local heroes Pictureplane and Hollagramz call home.

The song's central figure is a hyper-rhythmic guitar that repeatedly slides up, then snaps like a rubberband into starbursts of perfect chordness. You might also enjoy the firecracker-loud handclaps, trunk-rattling bass hits, and battle-cry shoutsinging. Whoever mixed this thing is-- to steal a phrase from my Pitchfork penpal Joe Tangari-- definitely a soldier in the loudness war. But at the song's center is an unstoppable melodic heart that beats like it just ran an Alaskan winter mile in short-shorts, and all you want to do is douse that fucker in Gatorade when it breaks through the finish line."

Use the Pitchfork link to listen to the song.

4/14 - Cults

Well, needless to say, it's been a while since I've bothered to update this blog. There are a few reasons for that. The pertinent one is that I really haven't heard too many bands that are curling my toes, and therefore have just simply lacked the fire to put fingers to keyboard. But over the months, I've collected a few in my pockets that I'd like to share, so I'll see if I can get them up here in the next few weeks.

I'll start off with a lovely little band called Cults. Two weeks ago, the band released a 7" through Forest Family Records, a new label collaboration by the Gorilla vs. Bear guys and Weekly Tape Deck. And in a turn of events that proves beyond argument that, if you are a collector of the vinyl, you'd better be a quick motherfucker when it comes to snatching it up. The 7" sold out faster than hashish hotcakes. Luckily, you can still download all the songs for free on Bandcamp.

The A side, "Go Outside," is proof positive that we're entering another indie rock spring. This sweet, jangly, tinkling little confection that follows in the tradition of other recent retro-inspired pop acts like Best Coast, is bound to end up on a whole lotta sing-along road trip mixtapes. I've already road tested it on a trip down to San Diego and can say with confidence that it totally deserves a slot in the playlist. The song is turning up on a lot of blog lists, so I'm hoping demand will prompt a new issue of that 7".