Who? Die! Die! Die! — frontman Andrew Wilson, bassist Lachlan Anderson, and drummer Michael Prain — hail from far, far out of the industry spotlight (Auckland, New Zealand) and jumpstarted their own buzz through extensive U.S. touring, including a residency at New York City downtown club the Annex. Die!x3’s self-titled debut, recorded by Steve Albini, just dropped via SAF Records.
What’s the Deal? If the name didn’t tip you off, Die! Die! Die! have little patience for pop concessions. Abrasive and bare-bones, the band makes a lot out of a little — in love with a loud/soft dynamic, their eardrum-rattling clatter recalls the rollicking franticness of the Liars and the nervous jerkiness of Hot Hot Heat. Wilson sounds like he’s off screaming in a room by himself, and when the rhythm section locks in a groove behind him on “Auckland is Burning” — whilst Wilson stammers repeatedly, “I’ve never told the truth, how could I tell a lie?” — the result is mind-numbingly satisfying.
Fun Fact: Die! Die! Die! are torchbearers of a proud musical tradition. Dunedin, New Zealand, the trio’s original base of operation, was home to an indie pop-movement in the ’80s dubbed “The Dunedin Sound.” AMOS BARSHAD
Now Hear This: Die! Die! Die! – “Year Nine, Yeah!” DOWNLOAD MP3
Talk: Do Die! Die! Die! kill it? COMMENT
On the Web: diediedie.net
