Bat Boy is another new band on Asian Man Records featuring someone from Spraynard – in this case Jake. He is joined by Cory (from Sundials), and Hannah (from Hannah Montana), who provides the gorgeous lead vocal here. These guys collectively hail from Philadelphia and Richmond (Virginia – not the posh London suburb with the deer park).
This is an immediately engaging release. There is just something undeniably appealing about Bat Boy. The Asian Man Records site describes this as a punk rock/indie/power pop blend of awesomeness. Which I suppose is pretty close. For me, this hits that sweet spot somewhere in the bizarre mid 90s indie rock Bermuda triangle of the Pixies, Blue album era Weezer and Veruca Salt. If you’ve been missing that vintage ‘big’indie rock ‘with added bite’ kinda sound, well, it seems to me that Bat Boy are (is?) the one.
Strongly recommended for anybody that fell in love with / had their heart broken by the dulcet tones of Julianna Hatfield or the Post sisters in the 90s. See also: Heavy Pockets and current UK sweethearts, Doe and Martha. Lightly sugared, darkly brooding, brassy, lovelorn paeans with a solid backbone. What more could anybody want from a soundtrack to their summer misery? This acoustic version of Squid really foregrounds the power Hannah Eagle’s wonderful vocal, plus the rainstorm going on in the background captures the mood perfectly.
This is another snooze and you lose one time colour pressing of 500. When they are gone, they are gone, friends. You can of course get this from Mike at Asian Man Records here, with an additional option to pick up the equally wonderful limited run Big Nothing 7in that I reviewed t’other day.
I’m struggling to pick a favourite track at the moment, as all 4 stand out. I await more material with like, all eagerness and shit, as this just rules so much.
Find out more here
