The Larchmont Trash - I Spent the Summer With... [10-inch] (Cover Artwork)
Staff Review

The Larchmont Trash

I Spent the Summer With... [10-inch] (2011)

shdwplyrecords


The term garage band will probably be applied to the Larchmont Trash, but really, that simplified tag doesn't do the band justice. To be fair, on I Spent the Summer With… the band kicks out eight rapid, energetic, lo-fi bangers built around catchy hooks.

But, while they are composed of the usual rock elements, they use their tools to create much more than a simple collection of riff-revved ditties. On "Lillehammer" the band is able to build an energetic, but tuneful chorus around their ski slope riff, that between its rawness and major chords, sounds as much like early Kinks as it does the Spits.

Similarly, on "Aphrodisiac," they keep up the energy, but are able to forge a murky sound under their sunnier music, creating a song that rocks, but warrants deeper introspection that mere thumb-snapping and head-nodding. It seems as though there are layers of tiny elements built into these rapid punk slammers that makes the music only seem simple.

Possibly influenced by bands like the Dwarves and the aforementioned Spits, the lyrics retain a certain dark humor. "Cougar" talks about the joys of hooking up with 45-year-old women. "Bikini Binge" is about… well that. Most deftly, while the lyrics might seem to be a little silly at first glance, the band is able to present them in a way that doesn't seem to cast judgment on the characters in the songs, but rather, paints a picture for the listener to assemble in whatever fashion he or she desires.

This debut EP is a real kicker, that's for sure. If they can keep this up, it will be most interesting to see the vague abstractions and contradictions they'll lead us to next.