The Coathangers

Atlanta, GA's the Coathangers are self-taught musicians who, so far, have provided us with a hell of a no-wave, garage rock slop show party. Larceny & Old Lace, their third release, showcases a flurry of musical variation both instrumentally and vocally without losing the distorted chaos that brought them this far. The all-girl quartet have grown and this release, their first studio-recorded work, presents a slightly polished sound without losing any of their edge. In fact, it's more prominent. This 11-track full-length borrows from post-punk, no-wave and garage rock, switching their sound with each song. Vocalist Julia Kugel manages to vary her range from a screeching shriek to a velvety smooth drawl, best showcased in "Tabbacco Rd." Blending twangy, repeating guitar hooks with raging vocal structures that would make Babes in Toyland proud, "Johnny" is a rough no-wave fusion more reminiscent of the band's previous work, while "Chicken:30" is a throwback to '60s punk with a simpler, catchy melody. The amateur explosion of sound heard previously from the Coathangers has quickly given way to infectious songs that will see their popularity continue to grow with the release of this album.