Straight out of Oakland, CA comes the sweetest, most bitchin’ trio PRIMITIVE HEARTS. Their debut LP High & Tight has just hit the streets, bursting with catchy bubblegum pop fused with fierce garage rock n’ roll to get your body moving in ways that it’s never moved before.
These cats have got a super fun live show to boot and I had the pleasure of attending their album release show in San Francisco. The album tracks were released in early April via Primitive Hearts’ Bandcamp page but it’s just not the same until that record is in your hands, ya know? A co-release between FDH Records (Philly), Resurrection Records (WA) and P. Trash Records (Germany), there were only 500 copies of High & Tight pressed and I have a premonition that these will be gone quick!
If Primitive Hearts had been on the scene back in previous decades you’d probably find a young Chuck Berry or a young Jerry Lee Lewis perusing the stage. You might also notice a couple dudes from the Dead Milkmen and maybe a couple of the Muffs hanging out at the bar. It’d be a fun crowd! High & Tight opens with the upbeat track “Won’t Wait Around,” easily encapsulating all the key elements of the Primitive Hearts sound – distinct and punchy lead vocals, super cute female background vocals and a beat you will find your head bobbing to whether you are conscious of it or not.
The 12-track album consists of songs that average around 2.5 minutes each but keep you glued no matter what throughout. The title track off the record, “High & Tight,” has lots of little subtle build ups to scaling guitar licks and gets tied together nicely with the most cordial vocal harmonies. “Believe Me” (which also appeared on their debut 7″ released last year on No Rules Records) is just an all around fun and catchy garage pop number that will get stuck in your head – you have been warned! “Wandering Eyes” is as if you handed 60s Motown super group the Supremes a couple of instruments, leather jackets and nice cold beer and told them to let loose, baby! It has a very sweet undertone but all bustled up with that badass, rock n’ roll splurge.
The album artwork was done by Christian of Portland’s Mean Jeans and features an awesome cartoon of an old decrepit guy shaving “High & Tight” into the side of a young hoodlum’s scalp. Primitive Hearts also opened up for the Oblivians in San Francisco following the Burger Boogaloo this month. They are planning to tour up the west coast later this year hitting Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. Hoping these bay area babes get to tour cross-country soon – gotta get that good word out ‘bout High & Tight. It’s too good to miss!
Genre/ Tags: Punk, Garage Rock
High and Tight LP: Tracklist:
1.) Won’t Wait Around
2.) Harmony
3.) Falling Apart
4.) High & Tight
5.) Must Be Nice
6.) Believe Me
7.) Lone Wolf
8.) Crybaby
9.) Keep Me Around
10.) Wandering Eyes
11.) No Rules
12.) Hideaway
BUY the LP directly from FDH Records in Philadelphia
Primitive Hearts on Facebook
Styrofoam Drone 