May 2009

The Coathangers: "Scramble" (Suicide Squeeze)
Grade: A MINUS

Limited chops combined with sizable brains propel these Atlanta girlfriends toward a minimalist aesthetic--postpunk in the angular Gof4 tradition that femme bands long ago realized left room to squeeze high voices in edgewise. The hooks are riffs or chants rather than tunes, and no less catchy for that. Usually these women are mad but sometimes they're sweet and often they're droll. The sound is so scrawny it can wear on you, meaning their 34-minute album is probably two songs too long. But there's only one I'd scrap.

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(Image: The Coathangers/Suicide Squeeze)