Guardian Singles – S/T

This one’s a south hemi hummer that flew under the radar, especially Stateside. Guardian singles scoops up some kiwi cresters from SoccerPractise, Na Noise, Coasting, and Green Grove. Hell drummer Fiona Campbell once held down as one of the ever-rotating drummers from Vivian Girls. Though that’s a sound pretty far removed from the more knuckle-dented pop of Guardian Singles. The band’s debut, which was released in their native New Zealand in a scant, and soon depleted run of 150, draws more on the American 88-93 crest than much of the jangled indie pop of their contemporaries. As their fellow NZ downer dosers Mope City explore the slowcore creep of Galaxie 500 and Duster, the Guardians have found themselves chewing on singles from Wipers and Mission of Burma with some broody touches that hold over from the earlier ‘80s post-punk vapors that formed those bands’ basis.

So with a belly full of The Sound, The Cure, and Wire as translated through their descendants, Guardian Singles pick up a raw and ragged brand of dirt-caked post-punk. The drums pound through a muffled haze, the guitars saw at the sinews with enough insistence to draw blood. Coming to it late, the feeling sets in pretty quick that a gem was missed out on. Thankfully as they did with another down under heavy hitter with limited reach, Possible Humans, Trouble in Mind swoops in to make up for our collective inabilities to pay import pricing. The new issue of the band’s S/T LP will make its way out domestically on July 26th. With a second chance, don’t sleep this time.

Support the artist. Buy it HERE.