I am baffled by how many mails we receive in our mailboxes each day. It can be a pain to scroll through the mud, and the experienced guilt of not having the time to respond to every single mail is one of my least favorite things about running ATW. But every now and then, there is THAT e-mail that makes it all worthwhile. I am referring to West Oakland slacker rockers Planet Birthday’s debut EP Celestial Person that was dropped in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago. The 6-song EP is out today on Tape through Dandy Boy Records. Always behind on my mail, I’ve only started listening to it the past couple of days and I keep returning to it. This is exactly the kind of indie rock I like. Melodic, accessible and anthemic, but also loud and rough around the edges. Planet Birthday are extremely good at writing choruses that hit you in the gut. The band, named after Carvel Ice Cream mascott’s fictitious home planet and featuring members of the Heartlights, play music like their lives depend on it. This is not indie rock by the numbers, but an inspired expression of necessity. It’s still slacker rock though, it has that loose matter of fact quality as well.
Dandy Boy Records suggests that fans of Dinosaur jr. and early King Tuff will like this EP, and I would add Purling Hiss to that list. Planet Birthday mainly cite one band as influential: They “like Ween, and Ween only.” Basically, if you like great guitar playing and powerful indie rock made for underground venues rather than sports arenas, Planet Birthday are your kind of band. They offer a reminder of why you should always have your ears open for new music.
Add to wantlist: Bandcamp