Skip to content
Spotlight

The Selmanaires

Who? Atlanta post-punkers the Selmanaires take theirname from 73 Selman St., the site of their first practice space and theformer home of twin brothers Herb (guitar/ vocals) and Jason Harris(drums/vocals). The band began as a trio with Tommy Chung on bass andvocals, and issued their first full-length, Here Come the Selmanaires, in 2006. Second guitarist Mathis Hunter joined in early 2007; the group’s second album, The Air Salesman, an anagram of the band’s name, arrives on the International Hits label in Jan. 22.

What’s the Deal?The Selmanaires play a danceable blend of krautrock, post-punk and aharmonized yelping that is slightly less skittish than that in theTalking Heads tune “I Zimbra.” The bassline in “In The Direction ofYes” is also reminiscent of the one opening of the Head’s “PsychoKiller,” and band members cite everything from Stax Records to Can asinfluences. The lyrics often focus on coping with living in a modernsociety. “It’s funny — we have so many influences, I think that initself is a modern condition of having access to so many differentkinds of music,” Herb Harris tells SPIN.com. The new album has moreintricate polyrhythms than you can shake a drumstick at and features afuller sound because of studio effects and the addition of Mathis.

Fun Fact:When the Selmanaires traveled with the Black Lips to Toronto, theystayed in what Chung called “the sketchiest hotel” with Lips bassistJared Swilley. Swilley’s room had a broken mirror, what looked likeblood stains in the sink, hair and bugs on the bed and apitiful-looking ceiling. It caved in during the night, though Swilleymanaged to leave the room before that happened. “We’re checking out,and we asked for a refund on the room,” Chung explained. “They wouldn’tgive it to us, so we called the Canadian police, who thought it washilarious.” The police eventually arrived, and the band received arefund.

Now Hear This:
The Selmanaires – “Reason and Chance” DOWNLOAD MP3

On the Web:
The Selmanaires at MySpace

Talk: Will you give the Selmanaires a ‘chance’?