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The Coathangers

Who? Julia Kugel (guitar, vocals), Meredith Franco (bass, vocals), Candice Jones (keyboard, vocals) and Stephanie Luke (drums, vocals) formed the Coathangers in the summer of 2006 on a trip to an anti-Bush rally in Washington D.C. The band’s self-titled debut album, produced by Kris Sampson (Train, Sister Hazel, Butch Walker), dropped via the Rob’s House imprint earlier this month, and Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox designed the album’s bright, popping cover.

What’s the Deal? Named after that painful last resort for an abortion, the Coathangers’ debut is a swift, steel-capped kick in the teeth. The lean album clocks in about a half hour over 17 tracks, and the band patterned their stage names after similarly brief the Ramones (Kugel, for example, becomes “Crook Kid Coathanger”). “It’s all in fun,” Luke said. “Like we don’t like using our real names because it’s just kind of like, you don’t need to know who we are, you know? Just come to the show and get drunk with us.” Though the album includes tracks titled “Tanya Harding,” “Wreckless Boy,” “Haterade” and “Shut the Fuck Up,” the Coathangers actually offer an inviting, screeching good time. Their ridiculously catchy “Parking Lot” echoes bits of Le Tigre and pieces of the Slits.

Fun Fact? When recording The Coathangers, the Coathangers only had two days to record at Nickel and Dime Studios because of a limited budget, but they were on hallowed music ground. Elvis Presley, the Allman Brothers and Johnny Cash had all played on stage in the very room where the Coathangers recorded.

Now Hear This:The Coathangers – “Shut the Fuck Up” DOWNLOAD MP3

On the Web:The Coathangers at MySpacethecoathangers.com

Talk: Are you hooked on the Coathangers?