EXCLUSIVE NEW DOWNLOAD: Pens - Freddy
Spent the weekend trying to find something to dislike about Pens. No dice. The London trio, on tour in California this very week, is the first band in ages to really recall the energy of early-’80s Rough Trade groups (and their ilk) without merely trying to mimic their moves—as in, they are amateurish young punks with cheap gear, but they aren’t just celebrating amateurism as an ethos. They are also blubbering fans who post videos of Cocteau Twins and Breeders on their own blog, they make cool videos for –$40, and most important, they write short, killer songs like “Freddy,” from their album Hey Friend, What You Doing?, which you’ll want to get next month. It doesn’t hurt that they take charming photos. If my English-American dictionary is accurate they are trying to tell us, “Peace, peace and up yours.”
