Somewhere down the line, indie bands forgot how to use amplifiers. Bands like The Replacements and Sonic Youth made it fucking cool to be loud, fast, and messy, but lately, our musical world is dominated by glossy keyboard-pop and idyllic twee. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy these bands immensely, but sometimes I just want to get loose and cold-rock it.

Ladyhawk is playing at Emo’s Inside tonight. They’re not loud, fast, and messy to the extent that the great indie bands of the 80’s were, but they are surely a rock n’ roll band in a twee-pop world. Their second album Shots came out this year on Jagjaguwar, and it’s somewhere between Wolf Parade and Guided By Voices.

The most appealing thing about this record is the aesthetic. The rawness of the sound is the result of recording in an abandoned farmhouse, probably under the influence of alcohol. Shots picks up where their 2006 self-titled debut left off, but this time around it’s colder and darker. The strength of the first three tracks, particularly “S.T.H.D.,” makes it easier to forgive a mid-album slump. “Faces of Death” seems to continue the boring trend, but is revived by the passionate yells of Duffy Driediger, asserting a return to the sound embodied by the beginning of the album that continues all the way through “Ghost Blues,” the 10+ minute closer.

Neva Dinova is headlining the bill tonight, but do yourself and a favor and go early. It’s rare that we are offered rock music that is this passionate and honest. Oh, and bring a flask. Get some tracks after the jump.

Buy:

Tunes:

Ladyhawk - “S. T. H. D.”

Ladyhawk - “I Don’t Always Know”

Info:

Shots is out now on Jagjaguwar.

Tickets ($8 via Ticketweb)

Websites
[official]
[myspace]