Tuesday, February 23, 2010

DNA Test Fest III: Lamps

















DNA Test Fest III is April 3rd at Sonar. Bmore Musically Informed will be the only site with a ticket giveaway for this, and you can look for that to start in March. Here's another spotlight on a loud band playing DNA Test Fest III.

There are a handful of bands playing Test Fest that are not often seen in these here parts, and Lamps are one of them. This California based trio dropped two great 12 inches on In The Red over the past few years, both of which are more than worth your while. Today, Fan Death Records releases a new Lamps seven inch dubbed The Role of the Dogcatcher in African-American Folklore. Here's the B-side, a cover of The Kinks' "Salvation Road".



More on Lamps and the new seven inch after the jump.


Above is how Lamps describe themselves.

Lamps harness a raw energy that is deeply primal, and heavily felt. With comparisons to The Cramps often tossed around, it's clear that these guys understand rock and roll. Sounds are generally dirty, pounding, and full of the kind of force that leads one to feel truly free.

The Lamps release shows that they are continuing to maintain their cavernous and primitive nature, yet applying it to some innately catchy rock songs. Side A is a perfectly executed chunk of rowdy punk beats tossed with crushing noise that are bound to get stuck in your head in an uncomfortably pleasant manner. If you try and picture getting drunk and playing with a chainsaw, or simply recall that time that you did - you might get an idea for what this minute and a half of rock music makes you feel like.

Side B is "Salvation Road", off of The Kinks' 1974 album Preservation Act 2. Lamps' take on this tune is pretty much just as you'd expect, and the result is likely the most accessible Lamps song out there. This is a band that comes out swinging like a caveman, and this seven inch is just another addition to the catalog of worthwhile releases Fan Death has produced in their short existence.

Get Test Fest tickets here, and look for more spotlights on bands involved soon.

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