Welcome back for another edition of First, Last, and Favorite; our column where we get to dig into favorite artists early influences and current playlists. This go around we get to know The Coathangers.
The Coathanger’s aren’t new by any measure, they’re road warriors with a bunch of records to their name, but they really blew into our consciousness with 2016’s excellent and energetic Nosebleed Weekend LP, which was in near constant rotation at our shop. If you haven’t heard the band yet the slippery genre tags of the 21st century don’t do a ton of justice. Terms like garage-rock, pop-punk, indie, and the like all stir ideas of doctrinaire sounds, but this is a band that has worked their mixed influences into their own unique sound. And after all, the reason we do this column is to dig into those very influences! But if the new single is anything to go off of, the new record should be rad:
That new record is The Devil You Know and will be here on March 8th from Suicide Squeeze. They’ll be at Nuemos on the Thursday the 28th too! Let’s get to know Julia Kugel (AKA Crook Kid), Stephanie Luke (AKA Rusty), and Meredith Franco (AKA Minnie) from their first, last, and favorite records:
First
JULIA: Garbage Garbage
I got Garbage's S/T in 1995 on my 13th birthday! I think we listened to it 10 times that night. The music was darker than what I was used to; singing along to "Queer" seemed kind of naughty. I didn't quite understand the complexity of the lyrics it but I felt them. I mean "I'm Only Happy When it Rains" was a bit of an anthem to me! The general vibe of the album is gloomy and emotional but not weak. The melancholy is mixed with confidence and a cool detachment. Plus Shirley Manson was the most striking redheaded front-woman I had ever seen. Tough but not cold, her Scottish accent lent a interesting swagger to their sound. This record was the perfect introduction to my brooding teenage years.
STEPHANIE: GREEN DAY DOOKIE
It was 1994, I was a tall, lanky, glasses and braces wearin’ dork in Band (playing the oh so sexy saxophone) and was already starting to feel the angst of my youth. Ha! I overheard some of the “punk” kids in one of my classes talking about this tape called Dookie, and the rest is history. Every single song on that album stirred the pot and riled my ass up, and to be honest it still does to this day!
MEREDITH: SALT-N-PEPA VERY NECESSARY
I actually never owned it when I was younger...but my sister did! When she wasn’t home I would go in her box of tapes and this would be the tape I always listened to! I own the record now and still jam out!! They are such badass women!
Last
JULIA: LA FEMME MYSTERE
I have always loved foreign language records because I enjoy not understanding the words and like to imagine the lyrics and the story behind the songs. La Femme sing in French, which always sounds cool, they also have a unique, eclectic sound. Mystere sounds fresh, wise, and lush! It exists suspended in time, 60's French pop with a bit of disco and 80s dance electronica. Also some nice sampling, trippy keyboards, and white noise throughout that makes the hole thing seem otherworldly. I'm a bit late to party I guess, since it came out in 2016, but this is a truly excellent record from start to finish. Je t'aime La Femme!
STEPHANIE: HOT SNAKES JERICHO SIRENS
This album came out last year but it sounds like it could be from any year really. This band has consistently put out amazing albums. After seeing them live last year as well, they still fuggin bring such an amazing, super energetic, honest live performance they continue to inspire me. It’s straight up “rock in your GD face and you’re welcome” kinda vibe, I love it.
MEREDITH: DRINKS HIPPO LITE
I hadn’t heard of Drinks until we played with them at the last Sonic City that Courtney Barnett curated. I’ve been listening to the record non stop since! I love the bass lines and Cate Le Bon’s voice. My 2 favorite songs are “Real outside” and “Corner Shops”.
Favorite
JULIA: BUZZCOCKS SINGLES GOING STEADY
I got into to this record when Steph and I started living together. I remember on first listen realizing HOW MANY hits the Buzzcocks had written! Masters of the perfectly crafted punk song with a great balance of aggression and pop sensibility. Never overdone. Never too much. Crisp and clever lyrics and intricate, inner-woven guitars shake you up, but the Buzzcocks always keep their cool. Just recently I started obsessively re-listening to the surreal and magical "Why Can't I Touch It." I was lucky enough to see the Buzzcocks in 2012, before we lost Pete Shelley last year, and they were AMAZING!. Legends.
STEPHANIE:
How many of these can we have?!?! How to begin?!?! You’re oh so cruel! Ha! Ok after much deliberation...
B.R.M.C. BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB
I’ve probably listened to this album more times than any other. When it first came out I was living in LA trying to become a music manager (ha!) and was hanging out with a band called Plastic Letters. I soon became best buds with the lead guy Derek and we listened to it every day, sometimes doing good things, sometimes not so much! In any case it’s a perfect album to either drive to, drink to, fuck to etc... it’s always the perfect soundtrack to any good night out. Plus every song is so well written and the lyrics and vocals really still resonate in a relative way with me. Cheers!
MEREDITH: THE STROKES IS THIS IT
I saw the video for “Last Night” and fell in love! I loved, well love, everything about this record! The way the recording sounds..the lyrics! Brings me back to a happy simpler time..before you could just download music or google anything. I used to get NME and couldn’t wait to read about The Strokes each month. I still listen to it all the time!