STATE OF THE KIDS, JULY 2009

It’s time for a rare look at the present tense here at Detailed Twang, as part of our ongoing series of tastemaking we call “State of the Kids”. Great 45s, LPs, CDs and one-off downloads keep coming out by the crateful, and I’m trying to keep up as best I can. As usual the most exciting stuff to my ears is happening in the rough-edged garage, pop & post-punk influenced worlds, but of course I’d say that. That’s what I’m seeking out online and elsewhere. First up today is the song of the friggin’ year, “Stick To The Formula” by EAT SKULL, kicking off their latest CD on Siltbreeze. Now we never really cottoned to these guys before this particular record, but when their new one came out I kept reading all these comparisons to The Clean and to scattershot lo-fi pop bands I luv & respect, and I said, “that doesn’t sound like the bucket of noise puke these guys have been coughing up to date”. And it isn’t. “Wild & Inside” is a strong record all the way through, particularly in its first one-third or so. This particular track is a total standout, and we sincerely hope you agree.

GRASS WIDOW (pictured) are a new all-female San Francisco band who skirt early UK angular, reverb-drenched pop music like they’ve been playing it together since 1981. Their new self-titled LP just came out and it’s going to be huge; so huge, in fact, it’s already sold out. We told you about THE BLANK-ITS a few months ago; they’re still bringing a robotic, uber-distorted chromium punk to the people from the Great Northwest; this is the A-side of their most recent single. WOUNDED LION are a Los Angeles five-piece who have their one and only 45 on the excellent S-S Records. The A-side “Carol Cloud” is total Archies/1910 Fruitgum Co. bubblegum dross for meathead garage dork nation. Try to keep your fingers from snappin’ during this one. Finally, just in under the wire is the new CD from TY SEGALL, a fellow San Franciscan who records for both the Traditional Fools and The Sic Alps. His new record “Lemons” is on Goner Records, and this 80s-style noise punk crack up called “It #1” is something pretty special. See, the good stuff is all out there – you just need to find a chair to park your tuchus in to figure it all out.

Play Eat Skull, “Stick To The Formula”


Download EAT SKULL – “Stick To The Formula”
Download GRASS WIDOW – “To Where”
Download THE BLANK-ITS – “Windows Are Dirty”
Download WOUNDED LION – “Carol Cloud”
Download TY SEGALL – “It #1”