Song of the Day - December 7, 2005

Blood on the Wall have been receiving much critical praise for their latest release Awesomer, which I must say deserves the attention. This album is a mixture of influences and sounds with Pavement, The Pixies, Gang of Four, and even The Velvet Underground adding their mark. Blood on the Wall is the brother and sister team of Brad and Courtney Shanks on lead vocals and guitars plus Miggy Littleton on drums. The standout tracks are many, but if I had to pick a single track for the song of the day, it would be Mary Susan. Brad Shanks has a vocal style that reminds me of Jack White transformed into a singing goat, a modern day satyr. Now, I know that sounds weird, but it works. It works really well. This track is probably the most accessible of all the tracks on the album and reminds me somewhat of Weezer mixed with Nirvana. Other great tracks include "Can You Hear Me" and "Right to Lite Tonight" both of which are heavily influenced by Gang of Four. "I'd Like to Take You Out Tonight" reminds me of Nico and The Velvet Underground. This is a great record and sure to make many of the best of year lists. If you happen to be in Chicago, catch their show at The Empty Bottle tomorrow.