Two great bands brimming with the flavor that made Midwest weirdpunk the best since the days of die Electric Eels, Vertical Slit, Mike Rep, etc.
Times New Viking deserve so much credit for waking the Siltbreeze label from its dormancy, and now two albums and a split 7" later, they're bound to make Matador relevant again. Keyboard-driven attack laced with shitcaked guitars plays it raw, but the sweet harmonies and great hooks show a heart of pure pop perfection. It's even oddly anthemic enough to enrapture all of you.
http://www.timesnewviking.com/
http://www.myspace.com/timesnewviking
Little Claw are one intriguing paradox, yinning knuckledraggin' gnarl of psych/punk pummelling to the yang of an awesomely charismatic female firebrand with her own perfect balance of fury and delicacy. After their auspicious self-titled debut LP on Ypsilanti and a new split 7" with Michael Yonkers, Thurston's finding 'em to his liking so much that Ecstatic Peace is presenting their 2nd album.
http://www.myspace.com/littleclaw
Dates:
8/1 Olympia
8/2 Vancouver @ Pub 340
8/3 Seattle
8/4 Portland (@ Slabtown w/ Hunches?? pending 100% conf)
8/5 Sacto @ Fools Foundation
8/6 SF Bay Area
8/7 SF @ the Hemlock w/ Family Underground & Fursaxa
8/8 South Bay/Central CA
8/9 S.D./Orange County/Inland Empire
8/10 L.A.
8/11 L.A. (@ The Smell, waiting for final conf)