Expect the Dirty Shoes treatment on Wooden Shjips some time soon. In the meantime, I’ll stick to what I do best: brief hyperbolic declarations. After all, this is probably my favorite rock record of the year and now that Jack White has laid down his Stripes, Ripley Johnson may be my favorite guitarist.
The San Franciscans have always filtered the Velvets, Krautrock, Spacemen 3, and dozens of drone bands you’ve never heard of, but this effort finds their songwriting stronger than ever before. This music is insolent and menacing like all good rock ought to be–minus any of the staid hangups and spilled whiskey. I’m buying this on vinyl when it drops. If you know what’s good for you, you should too. Or at least eat a weed brownie and see their live show. I uh, hear that’s a good time.
Download: (via Stereogum)
MP3: Wooden Shjips – “Lazy Bones”
