Not even a month ago I covered Blood Sister's first release and now I find out about this independent book publisher who decided to make the San Francisco based trio their first vinyl release on their not at all a record label. I personally hope it starts more of trend getting small publishers and equally micro labels to collaborate with audio materials for their stories and vice versa - like Zoo and a Movie's long form comic which inspired the 4 song EP that went with it, it's something that very very rarely happens. Maybe this is the first step or maybe Unpiano just couldn't help themselves. I get it.
A-Side's "Why Would You" opens with the track's signature glitchy guitar (?) melody pushed through broken electronics and bending through path cables in a sort of watery Blank Dogs sound. These live drums are essential and you either go full circuit or have that balance of human drumming to keep things interesting live and this slappy static snare isn't going to be mistaken for polish or anything. Mostly guitar based in a Jesus and Mary Chain dense fog, it's weird when they subtract layers and there's still more working underneath. Magicians that conjure a catchy melody out of hazy chaos. You wouldn't begin to know how these pieces fit together and it makes for compelling listening every time. Call it lo-fi, but that's like saying a book is a lo-fi movie, it's just it's own mysterious thing. Dual guy girl vocals that also is the key to humanizing this sort of thing, making it even more haunting if the all black packaging didn't make you interested already. Sounds like an apocalyptic My Bloody Valentine or The Swirlies through a portable speaker that guy plays surf rock on under the bridge in the park. This is another document supporting that yet to be recorded full length.
B-Side's "Bart Simpson" only muddies the water further. This dark guitar chaos has something to do with the cartoon character? You can sort of hear that kooky twisted surf sound they create with swirling distortions shifting these melodies around with multiple chorus pedals and phasers...? Who knows, I can't help but get caught up in this sound, it's completely foreign like Gary War. Broadcast from another galaxy, proof of intelligent life but just try to enjoy it. The beachy woooooo's could be the cowabunga to Bart's presence here, all I know is I want to go listen to Barbed Wire Kisses again.
Get it from Unpiano Books direct.
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