One of the cool things about writing for a music blog is that when your friends find out that you write for a music blog, they start sending you a lot of sweet tunes to check out. Sometimes the tunes are in fact sweet. Other times they are less so. And that’s to be expected, they can’t all be winners. Big whoop.
Issues only arise when you have a buddy that sends you this band they’re “really vibing on” and in actuality they really suck. This is only a problem because not long after they you the sucky band they’ll start asking if you’re gonna write about them. In order to avoid some awkward conversation where it sounds like I’m judging their taste in music, I constantly give the idea that I have these bands picked out way in advance. It will be weeks before I can get them into the rotation. This is all well good until many weeks pass and they just keep asking about this damn band.
This has only happened a handful of times but when it does it sucks. When someone gives you music from a band they like, it’s usually because they are passionate about that band. If you tell that person you don’t like being given, that person might take it as you judging them and their taste. That sounds weird but music gets deep with most people. It’s ingrained to who they are. When you call out their music, you’re calling them out as well.
Luckily this week that wasn’t an issue. My buddy Mike Clair jumped on the ol’ Spotify and sent me the debut album from a band that I’d never heard of with the message “Thought you might dig these fellas.” Well Mike, I did dig them fellas. Big time kudos to you brother. This week’s Artist of The Week: Atlantic Thrills.
Their bio on their Reverb Nation page reads as follows:
four badass muthafuckers who like to drink whiskey and play dirty garage rock. We rarely use this site…
That’s what I like in a bio, short, sweet, and had the word muthafuckers in it. The band hails from Providence, RI and is made up of Eric Aguiar on bass, Dan Tanner on guitar/ vocals, and Josh Towers on drums. Their sound reminds me a lot of bands like The Growlers and Shannon and The Clams. They feature bluesy surf rock riffs with a psychedelic edge to them. The album is garage rock Beach Blanket Bingo with a touch of peyote. The songs pair beautifully with getting fucked up and having a good time, which is good because this is a band that likes good times. They have begun developing a pretty solid rep for being great live musicians and having some pretty racaus shows. You get a pretty good idea of their steez from videos like these for Give It Back and Light Shines.
Note to upcoming rock bands out there. Your live shows need to be raucous. No one goes to a live rock show for a mellow night on the town. That is what Cat Power is for. You got to a rock show you want that fucker to be memorable. You want to wake up the next morning a feel like you’ve been through some shit.
This self-titled is their very first release and it’s barely 3 weeks old. I personally am having a great time drinking to these tracks and I think you guys will too. The only actual music video they have for the record is their firs single titled Day at the Beach.
This song and video prove the point that nothing goes better with sunshine than debauchery.
Bottom line. Great band. For all you suckers back East buried in snow, blast these songs, it might make Summer feel a bit closer than it actually is. Plus its good music to drink to and that always makes me feel warm when it’s snowin’.
Big Hugs,
Kelly
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