Thanks to the latest communication technology (the twitter acct, what can I say? We're slow to change in the 7" vinyl offices), I was reminded that the great John Barrett was going to be playing last night at Pianos.
I've had his advance full length from Inflated Records in rotation for the past couple of days, so the garage-punk gods deux ex machina-ed me at just the right time.
John Barrett and his drummer were convincing from the first note, sticks flying, killing the drum kit, with John, a lanky Thurston Moore - played the hell out of his recent album of punk pop. It reminded me of the first time I saw Cheap Time, they happened to be on the bill with the Crystal Stilts, and like every good band they blindside you, taking advantage of the opening slot and the crowd to be completely mind blowing. I knew what to expect and I'm sure that would have happened. I don't know how old John is, but let's just say he's got a ridiculous amount of time left to keep writing and reinterpreting this genre. Those singles from Fat Possum and Play Pinball were just the beginning, this full length, next month is going to be impressive. I'd hold it up to Home Blitz's Out of Phase and Artificial Clouds from Bare Wires as a classic touchstone for the genre. An example of everything done exactly right, you couldn't say beforehand what those things exactly are, but simply put together in this way, it's right. Two amps on folding chairs, a couple of pedals, lots of that wet reverb and the rest comes from bad ass talent.
Like Ty Segall, the melodies are classic garage punk, which is increasingly becoming a crowded field and John can easily alongside all these references.
But forget all these pointless words and just listen.
You'll have to crank it and forgive my pathetic ipod mic, I'm no nyctaper, but after relistening to this last night, you only have to hear two minutes of this to be banging on Inflated's door.
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