Los Buddies - Self released

Wes from Los Buddies sent this single in with a nice note a little while back. Silver printed 3/4 fold over sleeve with a beach bike illustration on the front, this 45 is dark grey marble with a black center label.

The A-Side, "Moon Bars" isn't about a watering hole somewhere other than the earth, but rather the handlebars on the bike on that cover sleeve. Those half circle bars on a bike that say, no big deal, I'm just out cruising around, no where to go. I don't have to aggressively turn on a dime to avoid a cab, or slip between 2 buses. I have white wall tires and all the time in the world. This is purely for fun. I might as well be walking, but this is faaaar cooler.
A lot like this '50s inspired slow dance, "I don't need no brakes on my bicycle", either he's so laid back it's cool if traffic creams this guy, or he's always riding 2 miles and hour and can just put his foot down. Either way, I'm getting a real laid back Wounded Lion sound from these guys....maybe throw in some Hunx sound, they have the form down completely. The trombone from Jeff Callaway is coming in over these harmonies is a big band nod to the form, busting out for a bleating solo. It's basically a love song to a bicycle, with all the innocence that goes with that nostalgic style...that sort of Beach Boys thinking of it's not what the song is about that matters, it's how you say it. This track is that slow ride down the boardwalk, it's hot as hell, like today.

RKO on the B-Side then gets a little update to that throwback sound, moving almost to the '80s...early pop punk, lots of ooo's and backup ahh's, starting with a big bassline and densely packed drum rhythm and layered vocals...all building to a double time end. The guitar here keeps a steady slow reverb undercurrent and it's authentically following those techniques and sentiments from the era, teenage misunderstanding, parents, staying out too late, let's face it, those situations never leave you. You think you can do anything you want now, record a single, buy records whenever you want, but sneaking out of the house, maybe to hang out with a girl, or 'borrowing' the car, will always be with you...and even if this sound wasn't a part of your direct childhood soundtrack...it's a pretty universal symbol for this simpler time...that's what this straight ahead, uncomplicated rock is for. Los Buddies are pretty easy going friends, hanging out...like Nodzzz. Get some pizza, cut off your pants into shorts, have a backyard show for 10 friends and destroy a kiddie pool.
This kind of thing is also the only way to get away with a purely nostalgic sentiment this otherwise sappy. if this was anything but music it would be completely ridiculous and overindulgent. In punchy, quick song form with this classic instrumentation you can get away with it.
Los Buddies are reminiscing. This single is their version of that group of older gentlemen sitting on the stoop talking about the old neighborhood used to be, the trouble they used to get into.
They constructively take those old times and fill a 7inch single. They could have just as easily focused on the negative and gotten more mileage out of it, but then they would be mean Mr. Johnson talking to himself, and yelling at the kids cutting through his yard...and I know know who I'm going to say Hi to on my way to work. Not that asshole Mr. Johnson.
Los Buddies.

Get this from Floridas Dying or Goner Records.