BREAKING SOUNDS: Nodzzz 7"

posted Monday Feb 25th, 2008

This week's Breaking Sounds feature spotlights the Nodzzz, who are an oddly interesting new San Francisco band you should get to know. With little ties to any of the other incestuous tentacles that usually protrude from outfits like this, on their debut 7" you get two beautifully inept rinky-dink pop jams that you won't soon forget. It's just one of those records that you can't stop looking at, almost as if you're supposed to try and find something hidden on the cover. Whatever it is, it's hard to find an easy comparison, and the a-side's "I Don't Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)" could just be the next clever ad campaign for the D.A.R.E. movement if they're not careful. Maybe akin to a west coast version of Home Blitz or Titus Andronicus with that irresistible Modern Lovers sparkle of childish mushiness sewn in at the base that you can warm up to instantly. The b-side's "We Are Only Animals" taps back into the 80s homemade pop vein, and manages to avoid any embarrassing hairdos or wardrobe trappings of the era quite impressively.

There's a lot to be said for sunny out-of-tune vocals set over a jangling guitar, and you can add Nodzzz to the list of pure rock'n'roll practitioners operating without any trace of posturing, yet headed straight for the gold. Hell, they even left the bong on the front of the sleeve which totally blows their cover! Released on Make a Mess Records earlier this month, Nodzzz have started to make some real waves and hopefully this single is the start of a watershed of hits that I'm certain they can knock out. The bad part is that 7" is temporarily out of stock, but with a little hunting, you might get lucky if you don't wait to long. By the time you read this, there will already be some new recordings in the works, which hopefully will be unleashed in the proper format soon, so check out three others HERE, and blow what's left of your mind on the Nodzzz.

check out a homemade video for the Nodzzz' title track for this single, "I Don't Wanna" courtesy of screechingturd, right here: