The Coathangers - Nosebleed Weekend
9/10
This is the ifth outing for the Atlanta punkettes, and the second as a three-piece following the departure of Candice Jones in 2013. Their initial brashness and serrated garage sound may have mellowed with age, but Nosebleed Weekend is still a wonderfully chaotic offering that will delight new listeners without alienating the faithful.
Recorded in California, and produced by Nic Jodoin at the legendary Valentine Studios, Nosebleed Weekend now displays a discipline and classic pop maturity from the girls that flirts with the memory of original West Coast new wave bands like The Runaways and The Go-Gos, but maintains The Coathangers' own founding values of irreverence and fun triumphing over anarchy and nihilism.
It is not often that I fall in love with a new album this easily upon first listen, but this has really kick-started my summer. Even the quirky Squeeki Tiki, with its rhythmic pummelling of what sounds like a child's toy (jeez, I do hope it's not a flute) is an unparalleled delight.
With thirteen glorious tracks to indulge on, from Perfume through to Copycat, my nosebleed could last far beyond the weekend.
