In this recent renaissance where a band can form, record a couple of songs, have a Myspace site, a Youtube clip and an audience in a matter of hours, it is almost impossible to mire through the countless bands that spring up just as fast as they fade away. Like no other time before, we have access to the worlds upon worlds of great music, who's only goal is to entertain both the band members themselves, and the audience. The instantaneousness of the medium's reach grabs the meat from the edges, where the side-project bands, the weird image-less bedroom recordings, and usually the most artful, exploratory and genre melding music lays. And, like no other time before, has it been so accessible. You could now have a favorite band, who's never released a record, never toured, and you have no idea how they look in leather pants. That's pretty cool.
The most recent off-shoot side project from Atlanta, Georgia's Black Lips, The Gaye Blades came to a full head this past month with the release of their debut single on Rob's House Records. What started as a Youtube answer (see videos below) to fellow Black Lipper, Cole Alexander's acid adventure and bedroom mind bending, Zorbac, has spun into a bona fide band. Jared Swilley, Black Lips bassist/crooner, along with Bobby Ubangi, former member of the now defunct Rip Off Records band The Lids, spin out this instantly essential 4-song banger. With a schtick that conjures, questionably, if not provisionally gay, backwoods, and shotgun wielding cowboy roughnecks, The Gaye Blades hit out a couple of sing-along 50s greaser doo-wop prom-crashing anthems and hit it squarely on the purple head with an underground pop sound whose only rival would have to be the gay baby of Buddy Holly, Brian Wilson and a bong hit. You can hear two of the hits here and pick it up directly from Rob's House here.
Zorbac
Gaye Blades
