New album: Andy Place and the Coolheads || In A Confusing Futuristic Bar

I am counting six band members on Andy Place and the Coolheads’ Instagram. Which came as a surprise, because the Portland band’s debut LP In A Confusing Futuristic Bar carries few bells and whistles or dead weight. At its core this is straightforward rock-‘n’-roll. But then again, it harbors influences from many other genres. I read a press release that the band’s influences range “from Eno or Bowie to Ramones or a less quirky Devo.” I would definitely add The Replacements and an assortment of ’80s new wave and power pop bands to that list.

These varied influences but also the subtle touches of synth make In A Confusing Futuristic Bar an extremely rewarding record. Full of hooks, full of heart, Andy Place and the Coolheads are here with one goal only and that is to reignite your passion for kickass ’80s rock-‘n’-roll. I mean, listen to songs like Lucid Girl (a track going as far back as the band’s 2015 demo), Apartment Of Temptation, Bad Mood, Reflections In The Glass and Our Lives, and you can just smell the sweaty bar you in due course are going to watch this band perform their asses off.

Recorded and mixed by Adam Becker at Trash Treasury and Red Lantern Studios before the pandemic, I’m glad this one is finally out on Black Water Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp