Abe Vigoda
(Post Present Medium)
Noisy, pop-crackling Abe Vigoda comes from the same vegan DIY punk scene as LA’s No Age (whose members run the Post Present Medium label), so it’s no surprise that the band wraps insouciant melodies in fiberglass splinters of abrasive distortion. What might be a surprise is how well the band incorporates LA’s multicultural heat into its short, sharp implosions. “Hyacinth Girls” slips a Third World-ish hip shimmy into its punk rock pogo, an island blast of sunshine into its distorted guitars, and “Bear Face” has a bit of Konono No. 1’s hallucinatory groove in its call-and-response structure.
You wouldn’t think that urgent DIY noise and laid-back tropical rhythms would mesh, but it’s a surprisingly happy blend. Think of this band as a punk squat incongruously perched on tropical seashore, pasty-white dudes catching some rays and pouring over Lonely Planet as they figure out which bus to take from here.
Standout Tracks: “Bear Face”, “Hyacinth Girls” “Lantern Heights” JENNIFER KELLY
