Local
Grooves
K.I.T./Deerhoof
K.I.T./Deerhoof
(Narnack)
These days everything is getting smaller and faster. The drive for
mini-cell phones, speedier computers chips, and pocket blenders seems
to have finally spilled over into the fringe elements of rock. Case
in point, the second installment of the Buddy Series singles released
by Bay Area watchdog and hit maker, Brooklyn's Narnack Records. This
friendly face-off of a split 7-inch matches Deerhoof, reigning royalty
of all things cute and cuddly, with K.I.T., a posi-charged portrait
of innocence. Conceived as a Friends Forever tribute band, K.I.T. skillfully
tame feedback as an instrument to deliver three back-to-back minute-and-a-half
numbers without coming up for air. Mimicking their live approach of
set-up, play, and tear down (the audience), K.I.T., featuring Bay
Guardian contributor George Chen, knock you on your ass before you're
even ready to listen. No sooner than you climax, you have to reset your
turntable's arm. Tempering aggressive sounds with bubblegum pop vocals,
Deerhoof channel animal spirits in deconstructing their live hit "The
Forbidden Fruits," which ends abruptly at its peak. Similarly,
"Get Along with Little Doggies" – a track previously
released on Toyo's compilation Structure of Scientific Misconceptions
– builds in intensity, trading between synth bleeps and guitar
bursts, but suddenly fades out, ending surprisingly before you can make
sense of it. K.I.T. and Deerhoof leave you desperately craving more,
ready to sell anything you own for just one more taste of this hipster
crack. (John Lombardo)
Hospitals
The Hospitals
(In the Red)
The self-titled debut by the Hospitals is the most abrasive, blown-out,
and distorted-to-pieces record I've heard in years that actually rules!
"Song One" has drummer Adam Stonehouse screaming like his
pants are on fire through what sounds like two distortion pedals and
five delay pedals, at times echoing Jon Spencer but mostly resembling
a trans-human beast from an interplanetary garage rock ether. The album
also contains a cover of Suicide's "Rock and Roll Is Killing My
Life" and "Friends," the most powerful track on the release,
which features a verse or two without the omnipresent layers of delay
on Stonehouse's classic trashy, punk rock vocals. Formerly from Portland,
Ore., the San Francisco duo now consist of Stonehouse and the ubiquitous
John Dwyer on guitar. But The Hospitals was recorded with previous
guitarist, Roddy, and has a whole different feel than what you'll hear
at their live shows. I was thinking I'd be able to clean my room while
listening to this record, but I just played air guitar and drank Shasta
Cola, and the room just got dirtier. While The Hospitals doesn't
really have that epic, timeless feel to it, it's important to have something
this raw in your collection for things like breakups and dealing with
mean neighbors. The Hospitals play the Mission Creek Festival Wed/26,
Hemlock Tavern, S.F. (415) 923-0923. (Ben Valis)
