Warsaw Vices
/ Roach Beach / Careful Q

WARSAW VICES

Power Pop. Union Made, from Chicago. 

ROACH BEACH (members of Catfish Haven, Remaindermen, Lord)

Roach Beach is a bastardized homage to the bands they grew up listening too, Naked Raygun, Motorhead, The Descendants, and Judas Priest. For the sake of labeling you could call it stoner punk; fast, thrashy, and explosive but sludgy and dreary when necessary. Oddly, the songs evoke pop sensibility while maintaining a garage ethos rooted in punk and metal.

CAREFUL Q

Careful Q has drawn comparisons to Heavenly, Tiger Trap, the Sundays, Camera Obscura, Mazzy Star, and Belle & Sebastian. Bass lines zip fluidly along, drums play with marching- band and jazz influenced patterns as often as they keep a typical beat, guitars stuff songs with rapid chord changes, keys paint a warm sonic background, and vocals temper their sugar with a bit of gravel -- as do the lyrics, which are apt to add a slightly sinister edge to all the pop bliss. The record turns from track to track like a hazy kaleidoscope of American pop modes, with hints of classic country, Spector-style kiddie symphonies, riot grrrl grit, and the brattier side of Buddy Holly each flashing briefly into view.