This is the sort of thing that really takes me back. There's a real lo-fi DIY vibe here in Dave Vicini's Beat Awfuls that I dig. PAWS, the new album, sounds like things I listened to in the Clinton years, but it's fresh and flavorful for today's kids.
Opening with the woozy "Interstate Skeletons", things enter the sort of territory that GBV, Elephant 6 folks, and The Grifters mapped out years ago. That said, this doesn't feel like a bunch of folks wanting to dig up past glories. Vicini and crew take this sort of thing and kick it into life. Fans of any number of bands on the PNKSLM label might feel like tunes like "Heavy Metal Spirit" are venturing into similar terrain. "Punks on the Dancefloor" sounds like early Beck a tiny bit, and the keyboards here give the melody a nice sheen. The cut's one of many here on PAWS that throws a few things into a blender to great effect.
Beat Awfuls are not necessarily breaking any new ground here, but PAWS is very enjoyable. It hits a sweet spot for those of us who remember with affection any of the bands I mentioned above. It's got a lop-sided, languid charm. Dave Vicini is adept at finding a weird hook and seeing how far it can be pushed and pulled. The overall effect is very lo-fi, but thoroughly fine.
PAWS from Beat Awfuls is out now.
[Photo: Lou Weed]