Sic Alps

***First August, now September: for the second consecutive month in a row, we’re hearing the call of the pied piper of gutter pop (SIC ALPS) revolving at a dizzying 45 rpms off the turntable. D’we say SIC ALPS? More like Slic Alps with this A-side they got goin’. The acoustic guitar is just that—acoustic! Almost glistening for real in front of the band with their rockin’ and scrubbin’. Even the vocal is tanked-out in an almost hearable way. Almost—but then the flip is boasting that v-word and living a bit more roughly than its clean shaven neighbor. Clangorous, with trash crashing in the background and hissing into grey. The guitars agree around the riff, the vocals trace the way, the drumbs explode and suddenly it’s over. We’re left with echoes. And we like echoes. Recorded by ERIC at Bauer Mansion, with MIKE and NOEL on the music, this “Battery Townsley” single is a salty spray of dun-colored ear candy, a blitz for the fall season to aid your shaking around the record machine. (STREET DATE - 9/20/2011)