SILVER DAGGERS GO SPLITTERTY SPLAT

Last year the outstanding radio show ART FOR SPASTICS gave me my first taste of Los Angeles band the SILVER DAGGERS, and I very much liked what I heard. I know I’m lazy, and do this all the time, but why repeat myself – here’s what I wrote about them in March 2006:

“Los Angeles’ SILVER DAGGERS are part of a new breed of exploratory, pummeling agit-noise acts operating on the NOT NOT FUN label, and for my money, and based on the evidence, they’re the best of ‘em. This EP from last year is a strange mix of aggressive, guitar-heavy EX-style sturm und drang, and freeform honking and tooting. Since they’ve taken their name from an ELECTRIC EELS song, I’m sure you’re as curious as I was to know which era Eels they’re emulating. The early “Agitated”, “Cyclotron”, “Refrigerator” Eels? Or the later “Pleasure Boating”, “Spin Age Blasters” Eels? I’d have to go with the latter, given the jarring sax and clarinet all over this EP, and if there’s not a serious STYRENES fan in the band then I’ll be damned. The lead track “We Didn’t Pay” is a monster, and has got to be a nutbuster live for all of its 75 seconds of pound. This one in particular should win the band fans from those who refuse to believe that Amphetamine Reptile are no longer putting out records. Heads up on this bunch – I suspect they’re not done wowing us quite yet”

So here they are with a brand-new CD on Load Records called “New High & Ord”, and it’s got quite a bit of pummel to go round. The EX comparison is far more evident, even though I think even The Ex would not stoop to title a song “Governkkk”, even during the “No war/no KKK/no fascist USA” Reagan era. But that’s just kids being kids, right? It’s a solid CD – and I still haven’t seen them live. Here are my two favorite tracks (so far).

Play or Download SILVER DAGGERS – “Displacement”
Play or Download SILVER DAGGERS – “Joy”