Death from Above 1979 - Heads Up (Cover Artwork)

Death from Above 1979

Heads Up (2002)

Ache / Last Gang


If it were up to me, this EP would come with the following disclaimer:

"Warning: Use of this record may result in the listener finding themselves unable to enjoy any other music immediately after hearing. The following 13 and a half minutes are addicting, original, danceable and catchy. You may also find difficulty in removing these songs from your head, even when not actually listening to the compact disc. If symptoms persist, please consult the full length I'm a Woman, You're a Machine."

While this relatively short release is only comprised of six tracks, I have yet to find a flaw within it. It somehow manages to combine a gritty punk rock sound with some of the catchiest hooks I have ever heard. What you may not immediately pick up on with this band is that it only consists of two people: a bass player and a singing drummer. And the difference between DFA and other duos (the Black Keys, the White Stripes) is that every track is entertaining and manages to have a totally different feel. They somehow manage to expand on the drum and bass combo to create their own genre. Needless to say, if you were attempting to describe what this EP sounded like to someone else, you would have severe difficulty in finding a comparison to any other artist.

The opener "Dead Womb" segues from a creepy telling of the dangers of cocaine and kicks into a fast-paced attack, and it doesn't slow down a bit from here. Next is my personal favorite, the speedy and toe-tapping "Too Much Love." After this, the techno-style sounds of synthesizer lead into another two minutes and 30 seconds of what can only be described as blistering dance-punk with "Do it!" and it doesn't skip a beat from there.

I will conclude this review with the same simplicity that Heads Up delivers: If you are looking for something fresh, raw, energetic and also unbelievably good to go running to, then get a "heads up" on this record immediately.