Recent sensations on the Hold Steady tour earlier this year, New Zealand rockers THE CHECKS release their new single ‘Hunting Whales’ a mantra-driven, drum rolling cymbal crashing ode to decadent monster riffing rock n’ roll.
Set to an epic jam that’s wonderfully ignorant of radio playlist requirements, the shimmering, guitars reverberate around a bassline that’s perfect for sleazy shape-throwing as the guttural, rasping vocals scream themselves into the mix
Their self-reflexive sound is speeded up on the flip side, an up-tempo, demented and thoroughly engaging take on the blues “Brownbrownbrownwater…” yell the chaps over string bending lead riffs and momentum-gathering faster-blues. It’s rather like the records that The Stairs used to make.
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Including this live version of ‘The Creek’ is a surefire way to showcase the infectious qualities of a group that are capable of igniting shows with their cartoony posture-perfect take on rock n’ roll. They tread the same compulsive, devil-spirited path that many great figures also chose when faced with the crossroads, making for a hip-shaking stoner concoction that’s best heard loud
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