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.
“..this is a careful, studied slouch: the loose limbs of garage-rock, rendered through a psychedelic fuzz, with melodies plucked from the blues and 1950s country music. “Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up” sounds both aggressive and aggrieved, and much of this impressive debut album manages wistfulness without sacrificing its knowing edge.” – NY Times
“It’s passionate, yowling guitar rock at its best” – Rolling Stone
THE STRANGE BOYS
04.02.09 Thu Dallas, TX Doublewide
04.03.09 Fri Memphis, TN Murphy’s
04.04.09 Sat Oxford, MS The Blind Pig
04.05.09 Sun Athens, GA Farm 255
04.06.09 Mon Atlanta, GA The Earl
04.08.09 Wed Asheville, NC The New French Bar
04.09.09 Thu Tuscaloosa, AL Little Willie’s
04.10.09 Fri Baton Rouge, LA The Spanish Moon
04.11.09 Sat Houston, TX House Show
06.05.09 Fri Denton, TX Rubbergloves *
06.06.09 Sat Austin, TX Red 7 *
06.07.09 Sun Houston, TX Mangos *
06.08.09 Mon New Orleans, LA Saturn Bar *
06.09.09 Tue Atlanta, GA Drunken Unicorn *#
06.10.09 Wed Greensboro, NC UNCG / Square One *
06.11.09 Thu Washington, DC Comet Pizza and Ping Pong *
06.12.09 Fri Baltimore, MD Sonar *#$
06.13.09 Sat Brooklyn, NY Market Hotel *#
06.14.09 Sun New York, NY Cake Shop *
06.15.09 Mon Philadelphia, PA Danger Danger Gallery *
06.16.09 Tue Worcester, MA Ralph’s Diner *
06.18.09 Thu Cleveland, OH Now That’s Class
06.20.09 Sat Columbus, Ohio Bourbon St *
06.22.09 Mon Chicago, IL Beat Kitchen *
06.23.09 Tue Minneapolis, MN First-Avenue *
06.24.09 Wed Iowa City, IA Public Space 1 *
06.25.09 Thu Lawrence, KS Jackpot Music Hall *
06.26.09 Fri Denver, CO Hi-Dive *
06.27.09 Sat Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court *
06.29.09 Mon Los Angeles, CA The Smell *
07.02.09 Thu San Francisco, CA Hemlock #
07.03.09 Fri San Jose, CA Nickel City #
07.06.09 Mon San Diego, CA Casbah #
07.07.09 Tue Tucson, AZ Plush #
07.09.09 Thu Lubbock, TX Ash Riprock’s #
07.10.09 Fri Dallas, TX TBA #
07.11.09 Sat Austin, TX Mohawk #
* = w/ Mika Miko
# = w/ The Coathangers
$ = w/ The Death Set
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