Sebastian from Robot Elephant let me know about his label's latest release from Bare Wires which I think officially was available since yesterday, just don't blame me for the overseas shipping. I'm just glad there's another single from Mr. Melton and company no matter where you have to track it down. Sebastian is hopeful some distro over here will carry copies and I say, 'Duh yea, they better.' If there are any left.
Bare Wires have been honing this raw gritty garage sound into a shiny, polished glam, along the same trajectory as Jeff Novak, or Smith Westerns. It's epic, produced and follows in the footsteps of the legends of the genre; Gary Glitter and of course T Rex without the stage theatricality. They're Ramone's in style, while keeping that bigger than life attitude, because you have to have that performance side down to pull this off. I'm still waiting to see this in person, April 7th at Public Assembly and no doubt will read endlessly about them at SXSW, but for now this single will have to do.
The A-Side, 'Don't ever change' has a glam beach boys sound, that 'east coast girls are hip' melody, with big riffs, and a chorus-y reverb vocal. The snare hits are firecracker slaps, or distorted samples even...the guitars are both mirroring this laid back rhythm. It's A sludgy sex-rock ballad about staying the same. Specifically about the greatest rock fodder era; high school, and a girl who sounds like a real nerd but Melton foretells a bleak future for the cool dudes in class giving her a hard time. That's something, turning Shelia is a punk rocker on it's head, actually endorsing studying, even going so far as to end up with the video heroine in the end. Take that enemies of rock and roll. Bare Wires are making self esteem, and being yourself cool.
Fire up the B-Side, 'Ready to go', these handclaps are essential to this massive cleanly punk pop. It sounds effortless, but damn, you know it takes forever to get these crisp changes, the rhythms jump all over from one hook into the next, just genius songwriting, especially the understated solo or the backing falsetto muppet chorus of 'Yes, he's ready to go'. It's playing right on that border of self awareness, it's not merely an imitation of the era, it's a solid nod and update in style and content. To call it a B-Side is an insult, sir! This is a double A side single! Bringing that whole overblown glam arena rock mess back down to the people in a smaller venue with just plain solid songwriting.
At the very least you can give it a listen over on their soundcloud page...and don't blame me if you end up springing for shipping.
Demand it from Fusetron, Midheaven or Goner dammit!
Our school children deserve the good influence of Bare Wires.
Get a haircut, hippies!
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