Simple Circuit on Super Secret records

Listened to this single from Simple Circuit over the weekend, it came out a little while ago on Super Secret Records. Turns out it's their second single, their first being their own self released 7", still available on their myspace page if you send them an email. Sounds like their working around historic variations of garage rock pop. These two tracks even sound like a typical pairing of any two given songs from Simple Circuit...one minute they're experimenting with the usual instrumentation of the garage and then the next one is poolside, getting almost beachy and cheerful.

The A-Side, "Boarded up houses" sounds literally built from some kind of ....well simple circuit electronic melody. It's either a heavy ringtone guitar riff or he's found a useable setting on that damn MXR Blue Box pedal. Kevin's vocals remind me of an energetic Thurston Moore, the lyrics are half spoken sort of statements way up front in the mix. It comes off as stripped down, minimal post punk, laid back, straight ahead rock with that weirdo sound keeping it from sounding like anything else.

So the B-Side, "Moon Druggies" takes that stripped down garage rock jangle and combines it with a bit of a surf rock, minus the heavy reverb. Like Nodzzz, they have a natural leaning towards sticking with a simple catchy melody over everything else. It's inherent in every track... stick with keeping it simple, and the vocal keeps it pretty serious instead of the usual pointless lyrics about the sun or the beach. Maybe that's the difference for a band coming out of Austin, they're no pressure to follow that formula. They can apply that melody separate from the good vibrations. I could see this going down the same road as the Fresh & Onlys...it's classic always surprising and melodic pop garage that grows on you every time the needle goes down.

100 color vinyl, the rest black...with black and white photo insert, from Super Secret Records.

You can get this one by paypaling Super Secret directly. Check out their website for address.