Lunatics On Pogosticks - S/T (2012)

Things have been strange with people I know lately. Everyone seems to be coming down with an illness, or some otherwise monumentally shitty thing is happening to them. This is doubly strange, as I feel I'm usually the "canary in the coal mine" when it comes to viruses or flus, and I haven't been sick in months. Furthermore, nothing particularly bad is happening to me, personally. It makes me feel like I'm in the eye of some storm that's about to sweep me up and tear me apart... but, for now, the chaos is everywhere but here.

It's good to have music like Lunatics On Pogosticks to help me remain positive and levelheaded. I know nothing about this band, and can't even tell you how I came across it. They're from Australia, I got that far, and only because it says so on their bandcamp page. Also, their name is a lyric from a Red Hot Chili Peppers song(not sure how intentional that was). It doesn't really matter because they're fucking good. They sound like garage rock meets indie pop, a bit like The Pandoras meets Best Coast, but produced with an ear blistering lo-fi ala Ty Segall. The recording is so blown out it's almost like garage meets grunge. But, rest assured, their knack for hooks are as clear as crystal. The guitar playing is especially interesting. I don't usually go for guitar "licks" ala Jack White as I do guitar "chops" ala Brett Nelson. The style here resides somewhere, comfortably, in between ... and it works very well.

Track 4 is exceptional.

5 songs, including a sedate cover of a Beach Fossils song. Also: kitties.

Lunatics On Pogosticks - S/T