MP3: The Strange Boys – “Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up”
Austin, TX’s The Strange Boys evoke a wild-eyed, porcelain-skinned innocence that is capable of summoning the wayward spirit of Brian Jones. The mystery of the South couples with the mastery of rhythm making to create a sound that is completely timeless and familiar, yet absolutely raw and avant-garde. Greg Enlow’s syncopated, organ-driven grooves hark back to The Seeds’ “Pushing Too Hard” while guitarist Ryan Sambol’s acute voice wavers beyond compare. Older brother Philip Sambol keeps the pulse with the aptly named Matt Hammer, who unmercifully pounds an old Ludwig set.
The Strange Boys began as a duo (Ryan and Matt) in 2003. Philip and Greg joined in 2005 completing the line up and the band has been on a non-stop tour ever since. Since 2003 the band has recorded what amounts to several albums and EPs which were sold at shows, but never released. In 2007, Dusty Medical records released the Nothing EP and in 2008, In the Red records released the Woe is You and Me single. Now, finally, the band’s proper debut album is seeing the light of day and In The Red is proud to announce the arrival of The Strange Boys…And Girls Club. A 16 track beast that is easy to imagine being blasted out of any stereo system between The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators and Wire’s Pink Flag.
The Strange Boys were the backing band for Mighty Hannibal (50’s R&B recording artist), were main support for Roky Erickson and the Explosives at the Chaos in Tejas festival, have played South by Southwest the last four years, Austin City Limits Festival (2008), F Yeah Fest the last three years, Music Fest Northwest (2008) and Bamalama (2008); shared bills with Daniel Johnston, Black Lips, Reigning Sound, King Khan and BBQ, Jay Reatard, Mika Miko, No Age and BRMC; have toured with The Black Angels, F***ed Up, Crystal Antlers, and Darker My Love.
THE STRANGE BOYS
03/18 – 03/21 Austin, TX SXSW
The Strange Boys
The Strange Boys..And Girls Club
(In The Red)
Street date: March 24, 2009
1. Woe Is You And Me
2. They’re Building The Death Camps
3. Should Have Shot Paul
4. Mlks
5. This Girl Taught Me A Dance
6. For Lack of a Better Face
7. Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up
8. No Way For a Slave To Behave
9. Poem Party
10. To Turn a Tune or Two
11. Most Things
12. A Man You’ve Never Known
13. Then
14. Who Needs Who More
15. Probation Blues
16. Death and All The Rest
THE STRANGE BOYS LINKS:
MySpace – www.myspace.com/thestrangeboys
Label Page – www.intheredrecords.com