L.A. Witch – Play With Fire
Suicide Squeeze
LP – CD – DL
Out Now
Californian Trio L.A. Witch recently released their new album, described as reverb-heavy, grunge, punk rock’n’roll. Fighting Boredom have been listening. Read what we thought below.
Back when I was a kid we had a record player in sixth form and two wardrobe sized speakers set up. The sheer volume of which was probably enough for a fair sized pub gig. We brought in our latest purchases and invariably ninety percent of them were punk and indie. But an older kid, who I will always be grateful to for, brought in some of his singles, I remember Bauhaus, something equally as cool and a copy of the Gun Club Sex Beat seven inch. That single turned me onto the flush of vital sunshine bleached, drug addled desert rock’n’roll and I didn’t look back. My point is that the repressed violence of the guitars and rhythms on this LA Witch album have the same fuzz, otherworldly shine and shimmer as that far off Gun Club single. It’s the same raw rush of blood to the head, the same fling yourself against the wall feeling.
The difference is the vocals, which switch form an angry drawled mass to lush, dreamy layered harmony that lives just under the surface of the twisting and turning burning sand of the guitars, bass and drums. It’s tight and hard, with an edge of seductive power and a blast of violent abandon. The songs aren’t long and the sun bleaches their bones as they move around your hips and head. Music for the soul, wild and free, crashing against the wall as you dance. It’s a blast of blindingly hot dust thrown up into your eyes as you move. It’s the sound of abandon and it’s wonderful.
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L.A. Witches website is lawitch.tumblr.com, they are on Facebook, have a Bandcamp page and Tweet as @LA_WITCH.
All words by Adrian Bloxham
