New Release Tuesday: 1990s, Bat for Lashes & Department of Eagles

1990s Cookies (Rough Trade/World's Fair)

The 1990s "play music like a blond gets out of a car." This, we assume based on listening, means something like, "Our sound is snotty, a little fucked up on we-don't-remember-what, and always f-u-n." While John McKeown (Yummy Fur) won't make any news showing his knickers to paparazzi during a limo exit, he will succeed in promoting the display of everyone else's underthings on the dance floor, as Cookies provokes an undeniable swagger that sets hearts and feet a-flutter. Back in the day, Yummy Fur was Glasgow's one way ticket to glam sass and bizarre indie garbage: McKeown is something of a cult hero over there, just ask Franz Ferdinand and Bernard Butler (formerly of Suede), who produced Cookies. It's sort of like Art Brut, but with balls (who brags about how much drugs they do anymore?), a kind of whiplashed garage rock ecstasy trip with your best friend's older, cooler cousin. To put it simply, and to quote Stranger Mag, "If you’re wondering why The Arctic Monkeys and Razorlight leave you feeling cold, unloved and slightly confused at what all the fuss is about, then rest assured – it’s because 1990s nicked all the fun from their music and made Cookies with it."

1990s MySpace
1990s Official
1990s "See You At the Lights" (YouTube)

Bat For Lashes Fur & Gold (Caroline)

Natasha Khan lists her first influence simply, "David Lynch", and after watching the video for "What's a Girl to Do", it all makes sense. The somewhat Lynchian (though predominately Donnie Darko-ish) video features rabbit mask-wearing bmxers creepily appearing from behind the darling's own bicycle, as she mourns her romantic situation along a dark, tree-lined street. As the song begins, and the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" percussion snaps, a gorgeous opposition emerges: tender, innocent love vs. dark, ghostly mayhem. Bat For Lashes is primarily vintage modern folk set softly alongside gothic dance and a seemingly sincere affection for Cocteau Twins mystery, Kate Bush's poetic storytelling and whispered secrets between damsels in dark corridors.

Bat For Lashes MySpace
Bat For Lashes Official
Bat For Lashes "What's a Girl to Do" (YouTube)
Bat For Lashes Photos & Show Review @ PitchforkMedia.com

Department of Eagles The Cold Nose (Isota)

Daniel (claiming Grizzly Bear & his grandfather, Robert Rossen and Fred (claiming his father's translation of Marx's Grundrisse), are the two-man wrecking crew known to most as Department of Eagles. They also claim to be "semi-active". We assume it's because the music plays like a basement summer project (in a good way), focusing on two parts early White Stripes and one part Eagles of Death Metal. Add a pinch of Strokes and you're dangerously close to "Romo Goth." Keep listening, though, and you'll realize that these Romo Goth comparisons might be misleading ... eventually you reach M Ward-ish neuvo-chamber pop tunes like "No One Does It Like You" (a particularly Grizzly Bear reminiscent type of song) and "Deadly Disclosure," another hazy acoustic tune laced heavily with LSD and (yes) recorded in a real studio. Fans of Grizzly Bear (duh), M Ward, Akron/Family and any band that ever used a banjo the proper way will enjoy The Cold Nose.

Deptartment of Eagles Official
Department of Eagles MySpace
Department of Eagles "Romo Goth" (YouTube)