MP3: 120 Days - Get away
Contrarian that I am, I was immediately predisposed to skepticism concerning 120 Days. I can't help it. It happens automatically any time the vast machinery of the Vice hype juggernaut rolls into the effect, especially considering that their name was originally bandied about in conjunction with the vastly overrated Serena Maneesh (though the tides may be turning on them - see yesterday's video review at Pitchfork for proof). Truth be told, I want the hype to be true. I hold out hope that a new record will come along and change my life. Did 120 Days accomplish this? No, my hardened heart prevented it and let's face facts: bands that amazing don't come around too often. However, it was certainly good enough for me to not write it off from the get-go, so I've been listening regularly the last couple weeks and it's been growing on me ever since. No surprise really considering that their sound fits in quite well with a lot of the other stuff I've been recommending recently such as 1999 and The Kid - well enough that I threw a track into my most recent podcast mix. Steady, mechanical beats topped with dark and droning, blissed-out melodies; a balance of goth and Krautrock. Silverbullit still remains the best band in this field, but 120 Days is pretty darn good too, maybe even great. We'll have to see how the record holds up a few months from now. At the very least, I won't be disappointed if they catch on with the masses.
120 Days - Get away