PopKid / Brassneck / Waterslide / Bartolini / White Russian (2017)
This is the third entry in the I Buy Way Too Many Records Dot Com / PopKid Records conflict of interest posts. Once again, I'm writing about a record that I love, but also that I'm releasing through PopKid records. There is bound to be some bias, thought if I didn't love this record, it sure wouldn't be coming out on PopKid. Needless to say, I think these are some pretty incredible songs.
Shoplifters are from Serbia and to be honest, I don't think I've ever heard a band from Serbia before. I like to think I have my ear open to the whole world when it comes to finding excellent rock and roll music, but this is a country that hasn't been on my radar before. I'm not sure that I would have heard of them if it wasn't for Kazu at Waterslide records who hipped me to their outstanding full length album Believe. I reviewed that a few months ago and to summarize, it was incredible.
Fast forward a bit and Scott from Brassneck Records had mentioned that he was involved in putting out the new Shoplifters 7". He sent over the songs and there was just no way that we could pass up having this record on PopKid as well. It's everything I love about music. Chances are, if you agree with my taste in music when it comes to the records I write about on this website, you'll probably like this Shoplifters 7". Particularly if you are a fan of the mid 90's UK scene.
While I know it's not a comparison that will probably move a lot of records, what I hear most in these four new Shoplifters songs is an uncanny similarity to primo, early China Drum. What's even more fascinating to me is that I was alerted by the band that they hadn't ever listened to China Drum until very recently when this similarity was mentioned to them.
The four songs on this 7" build off of the Snuff meets Big Drill Car sound of their last album, but they have managed to weave in tighter hooks and bigger melodies, calling to mind the aggressive, but still extremely poppy sound that defined early China Drum. Add in some wild guitar dynamics and vocals that remind me of the sort of thing Bob Mould has built his career on and you'll start to see the picture that Shoplifters are painting. They're taking the influences of the 90's, but they're interpreting them in a way that's clearly their own.
Opener "High And Dry" sets the stage with with it's driving dark pop verse that lurches into a huge chorus with the sort of vocal harmonies that just drive me crazy. But for me, the highlight of these songs is "Instant Forgiver." With its driving rhythm, big hooks and supremely placed handclaps, I can't help but air drum along every time I hear it. It's just such a killer song, and it's only one of the four. I'm don't know what Shoplifters have planned next, but I sure want to hear it. I hope you do too.
This is the third entry in the I Buy Way Too Many Records Dot Com / PopKid Records conflict of interest posts. Once again, I'm writing about a record that I love, but also that I'm releasing through PopKid records. There is bound to be some bias, thought if I didn't love this record, it sure wouldn't be coming out on PopKid. Needless to say, I think these are some pretty incredible songs.
Shoplifters are from Serbia and to be honest, I don't think I've ever heard a band from Serbia before. I like to think I have my ear open to the whole world when it comes to finding excellent rock and roll music, but this is a country that hasn't been on my radar before. I'm not sure that I would have heard of them if it wasn't for Kazu at Waterslide records who hipped me to their outstanding full length album Believe. I reviewed that a few months ago and to summarize, it was incredible.
Fast forward a bit and Scott from Brassneck Records had mentioned that he was involved in putting out the new Shoplifters 7". He sent over the songs and there was just no way that we could pass up having this record on PopKid as well. It's everything I love about music. Chances are, if you agree with my taste in music when it comes to the records I write about on this website, you'll probably like this Shoplifters 7". Particularly if you are a fan of the mid 90's UK scene.
While I know it's not a comparison that will probably move a lot of records, what I hear most in these four new Shoplifters songs is an uncanny similarity to primo, early China Drum. What's even more fascinating to me is that I was alerted by the band that they hadn't ever listened to China Drum until very recently when this similarity was mentioned to them.
The four songs on this 7" build off of the Snuff meets Big Drill Car sound of their last album, but they have managed to weave in tighter hooks and bigger melodies, calling to mind the aggressive, but still extremely poppy sound that defined early China Drum. Add in some wild guitar dynamics and vocals that remind me of the sort of thing Bob Mould has built his career on and you'll start to see the picture that Shoplifters are painting. They're taking the influences of the 90's, but they're interpreting them in a way that's clearly their own.
Opener "High And Dry" sets the stage with with it's driving dark pop verse that lurches into a huge chorus with the sort of vocal harmonies that just drive me crazy. But for me, the highlight of these songs is "Instant Forgiver." With its driving rhythm, big hooks and supremely placed handclaps, I can't help but air drum along every time I hear it. It's just such a killer song, and it's only one of the four. I'm don't know what Shoplifters have planned next, but I sure want to hear it. I hope you do too.
Stream both songs and buy the digital version on our Bandcamp page here:
PopKid is the lucky label releasing this record in North America. If you are from another land, there may be a label close by that is co-releasing this great 7" with us:
Available in North America from PopKid Records
Available in the UK from Brassneck Records
Available in Japan from Waterslide Records
Available in Japan from Waterslide Records
Available in the Netherlands from White Russian Records
Available in Spain from Bartolini Records
https://popkid.bandcamp.com/album/shoplifters-forgiver-7
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