Pens and Wavves

Pens’ debut vinyl outing, featuring Hate Your Calendar and High In The Cinema on a split 7”, shows they’ve completely failed to master the recording studio or any of their instruments. They’re fast and sloppy and brash and sludgy and unkempt. They’re exhilarating and slapdash and punky and giddy and drunkenly, waywardly fun. Naturally, they sound fantastic.

Wavves’ self-titled debut album on Woodsist plays fast and loose with Beach Boys melodies, My Bloody Valentine mayhem, Beat Happening surliness, Husker Du roar and girl group harmonies. Wavves – or Nathan Daniel William as he’s known to his mother when he’s in trouble – harness 60s pop and New York no wave nihilism in a similar style to Psychedelic Horseshit. Naturally, it too sounds fantastic.

Just to confuse you, Wavves’ second album follows in February and is called Wavvves. Here’s an mp3, So Bored, to whet your appetite. The album will be released by De Stijl, as will Pens’ debut album.

Both bands are supporting Crystal Stilts on February 26 at Barden’s Boudoir in London. You know it’s going to be one of gigs of 2009.