Hotpants Romance: It’s A Heatwave (2008)

Part of me really wanted to hate It’s A Heatwave by Hotpants Romance. What’s to like about the messiest, sloppiest kind of garage pop by three girls who can hardly sing? A lot actually. I mean on first listen you might be mortified, but Kate Armitage, Laura Skilbeck and Lowri Evans have so much charm and a “fuck it” kind of attitude I really started to almost love this record.

The opener “Hotpants No Chance” is a ridiculously brash, obnoxious, sweet and clever combo that really optimizes everything I love and hate about this band. Every song after pretty much follows suite and songs like “Sugar Dip” and “Heatwave” even turn it up to 11 and would make pretty fun live experiences.

“Effin’ + Jeffin’” and “Don’t Go” are almost too much for me to handle as you can’t even understand what Hotpants Romance are saying and “Stop Escaping” starts off in that same mesmerizing level of awfulness (starting off acapella too) before coalescing into what I’d say is the band’s most coherent and beautiful melody on It’s A Heatwave. It's a rewarding track that has become my favorite.

“I Don’t Wanna” is also a pretty little guitar-only number that sounds dirty if I could understand the lyrics. I enjoy that kind of suggestiveness.

I am probably notorious for not digging the albums released on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records (Cars Can Be Blue and The Smittens are exceptions), but what makes Hotpants Romance and their record It’s A Heatwave something memorable is its go for broke attitude, the “I don’t give a fuck we are going to make you dance” attitude that is complimented by the insane level of charm that exudes from every pore on their bodies.

Mp3:
Hotpants Romance-"Stop Escaping"

Links:
Hotpants Romance on Myspace!
Order It's A Heatwave on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records

The Smittens: The Coolest Thing About Love (2008)

Hey folks, sorry about the mini-disappearing act, I've been busy with my potential career as filmmaker, but I am back as far as I know. Anyway onward with The Smittens!



Vermont’s most beloved band The Smittens has released a new album, much to the joy of lovers of Indie-Pop and Twee music, actually, much to the joy of everyone really. I usually am one to say critical writing can be done about anything, but with The Smittens’ The Coolest Thing About Love, I don’t know, I guess I’m having too much fun listening to really write out my thoughts.

With that said, they deserve heaps of praise. They have the art of melody down pat, unique and fun instrumentation, lyrics that are super sweet and more singers than you can shake a stick at.

More than anything else, I love the trifecta of singers, Colin, Dana and Max. Colin’s voice is something else, may take some getting used to, but over time you’ll love it. Dana has a sassy singing voice that isn’t oversaturated with fake sultriness. Max just has a kick ass bass register. All three come together harmoniously on songs like “The Interstate,” “Half My Heart Beats,” “C’mon! (When The Grass Grows Tall And Green),” and “Gumdrops.”

It’s not hard to understand where the Smittens come from on The Coolest Thing About Love, but I’m really happy about that. They are just a collection of cool kids doing what they love and I understand now how they can create such joyous music. I mean really, if you were able to travel the roads with your friends and make people smile, how could you not write about love, love and more love?

The Smittens are a special band and that they are a band is a testament to a lot of things, notably, music really does bring people together and not just on the surface either. I’m sure all the members aren’t sunshine and lollipops every second of the day, but at least on The Coolest Thing About Love, The Smittens channel every ounce of positive energy into a little microcosm of joy.

Mp3:
The Smittens-“C’mon! (When The Grass Grows Tall And Green)"

Links:
The Smittens on Myspace!
Order The Coolest Thing About Love on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records

Cars Can Be Blue: Doubly Unbeatable (2008)

Initially I was turned off by Cars Can Be Blue’s new record Doubly Unbeatable (Their second record on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records). The bitterness displayed in this collection of songs is so palpable you feel like you’re trekking through a swamp. Luckily Cars Can Be Blue gives you a speedboat of garage band rocking and razor sharp melodies to hurl you through the muck.

The first six tracks of Doubly Unbeatable are a near flawless display of Pop and Rock music in ultimate synergy. Did I mention that these songs are fueled by bitter sarcasm? Check out “Coat Tails” a song calling out second-rate bands clinging to bigger bands for the press. It even includes the necessary Pitchfork bashing too. I love the descending melody as Becky Ann Brooks sings, “I don’t care about that stuff/I’ve heard you talk and I’ve heard enough/blow out the candles on your birthday cake and wish yourself away/from me.” She’s got a practical voice and never wastes a single breath.

On “Hope Your Hurting,” Cars Can Be Blue doesn’t waste anytime uttering the refrain, “I hope your hurting now/I hope you hurt right now.” They're the kind of lines we all like singing along with no matter our disposition. Even a line like, “I’m not saying that I hate you/Just because I can’t date you,” gets a lot of mileage because it cuts straight to the point.

Cutting straight to the point hits a ridiculously ridiculous level on the next track, “Pretty Special” when Becky calls out girls with groupie like behavior pleading with them, “Please put that pussy down/Cuz it’s been all over town/And if you don’t give it a rest/Have fun checking that pregnancy test.” Ouch, pretty harsh don’t you think? Though I like the way she sings the phrase, “You get them all with your big vagina,” so I’m just as guilty.

“Ribbon” is pretty addicting with its thrashy instrumental nature and when Becky and Nate start shouting something about “Ribbon on your car!" it’s pure, animalistic and fun.

At this point on Doubly Unbeatable Cars Can Be Blue start singing about penises, calling out fat people, cheap people and even attempt at trying to sell us merch. “Seems We’re Breakin’ Up” wraps things up nicely and puts a smart perspective on the entire album, or the band anyway.

The first half of Doubly Unbeatable is pure gold and even if its bitter sarcasm isn’t your cup of tea, trust me it will be when you press play. There is something to be said about carrying this kind of manic energy and bitter sarcasm I just hope for Becky and Nate’s sake that they aren’t stewing in this stuff when sitting at home. It certainly can't get out of my head.

Mp3:
Cars Can Be Blue-"Hope Your Hurting"

Links:
Cars Can Be Blue on Myspace!
Buy Doubly Unbeatable on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records

Bearsuit: Oh:lo (2008)

I admit I’ve been dragging my feet. After some international delays in receiving Bearsuit’s Oh:lo from Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records all I heard was just pink noise. I stated in a review last week of the Spring Forward compilation and its songs sights set on kill, well, with Oh:lo Bearsuit aim to not only kill you but mutilate you and piss on your grave as well.

Oh:lo is frighteningly busy on half of the songs and destroys any of this UK band’s attempt at melody. I understand this is one of those “big bands” with tons of people standing around playing horns, drums, guitars and a few weird instruments you’d never be able to name, but seriously do we need the screeching vocals, dozens of incongruous keyboard lines or unhinged horns like on “Jupiter Force (Recruitment Video),” “More Soul Than A Wigan Casino” and “Shh Get Out”?

Thankfully, maybe for contrast, there are a some songs on Oh:lo that are a bit more focused and clever. My personal favorite is “Foxy Boxer,” a song that also reaches a sexiness with a rollicking sub-synth and when the girls sing, “Don’t underestimate the power of a punch from a foxy boxer,” it works because of a buildup to the line and when the line is finally uttered Bearsuit strip away everything but the vocals. It’s a cool and very effective moment.

Another well-channeled effort is the hilariously titled song, “Steven Fucking Spielberg.” It starts off with swells of violin obviously mimicking a film score, but it’s surprising how easily it molds and folds into the melody, eventually becoming the backbone of the song. This song is incredibly lush, but never overbearing like some of the other tracks on Oh:lo and the flute line throughout is sweet and gives us some of that Steven Spielberg hope that we all love.

“Stay Alive” ends Oh:lo quite effectively and like the previously discussed song it is lush but not overbearing, at least unintentionally. It’s a beautiful little coda with piano and harmonized boy/girl vocals at its core but allows the accordion, violin and horns to create an intense build that when stripped away, sublimely carries us off into the sunset.

My initial impressions of Oh:lo aside, Bearsuit is creating music that is worth noticing if only they would stop trying to cram as many instruments and singers as possible into one song. There are some gems here and as you should take notice of those gems, Bearsuit should as well.

Links:
Buy The Record On Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records!
Bearsuit on Myspace!

Keith John Adams: Unclever (2007)

Sadly the ambivalence I felt towards Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records last artist is carried over to Keith John Adams' record Unclever.He plays his own brand of bouncy garage rock that it certainly meant to be catchy.

The first track, “Bed,” really grabbed me with its honest bounce, cool riffs and Adams’ snarling vocals, but it kind of went downhill from there. Songs like, “Lies,” and “Sorry That I Loved You Badly,” are meant to be clever, but they come off as annoying and Adams sounds kind of like a jerk. Now I’m not attacking his character, but this is the feeling I get when listening to these songs.

And the song “Yesterday Morning” is pretty atrocious with lines like, “When I woke up yesterday morning/And my heart felt like a flower press/Cuz of course I couldn’t call you/I couldn’t express.” Ugh.

Adams is really best at rocking out and “Elizabeth Hodgkinson Warzone” is successful at being catchy while maintaining its own sense of cool. “Nothing” mixes things up a bit with some pounding piano and a greater set of harmonies.

I feel bad for being 0 for 2 on albums from Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, but Keith John Adams just comes off as a bit too arrogant most of the time and doesn’t have the skills to back it up. I could make a joke about the album title, but I'll leave that up to you.

Mp3:
Keith John Adams-"Bed"

Links:
Keith John Adams on Myspace
Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records
Unclever review on RetroLowFi

Eux Autres: Cold City (2007)

Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records was kind enough to send me Eux Autres latest record Cold City, but I gotta be honest, it doesn’t do much for me. I listened to it at least a dozen times, but most of it passes through one ear and out the other, and believe me I wanted to love it. Eux Autres are a boy/girl drum-and-guitar duo based out of Portland and they sing songs mostly about military history, sports and/or being wronged. They occasionally sing in French. What’s not to like?

And yet, I am still hesitant. A lot of the songs sound the same-ish and when they sing I can’t really hear any of the words. I don’t want to say that Eux Autres is generic because I don’t think that. “Anne Boleyn” mixes things up and adds some shimmer-y organ that is really quite delightful. It reminds me of Stars if they had more discipline. Now that I think about it, the songs that have the organ are infinitely better. The next song, “The Town That Never Was,” has an ominous bounce that is further accented by the Halloween-esque organ riff throughout. I guess what I’m saying is, when Eux Autres are solely drum-and-guitar they come off as any other indie/garage rock band.

But, I think a lot of people will like this record more than me. A song like “Molly” has a soaring, almost one-word chorus that will definitely get stuck in people’s heads and has enough wit to satisfy any Pitchfork reader.

I really wanted to love Cold City by Eux Autres, and there are some good tracks, but I just couldn’t get passionate enough about it. Maybe you will.

Mp3:
Eux Autres-"Anne Boleyn"

Links:
Eux Autres on Myspace
Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records
Cold City review on RetroLowFi