Veronica Lipgloss & the Evil Eyes

Veronica Lipgloss & the Evil Eyes have a creeping, crawling style weaved through every jagged, arresting track on this hypnotic debut. The provocative vocals of front-woman Rani Lee Remedes penetrate like slivers of glass into torn, twisted guitars and spiky rhythms. There’s an eerie presence of dark, swirling inclinations in these 11 pulsating tracks, and the wailing saxophone and bizarre lyrics recall the throbbing cacophony of the Subtonix. The angular, pronounced synths and glistening eccentricities in the vocals at times lend an ’80s death rock tone to the album, but this is a band that can pull it off. Everything about them is addictive and unforgettable. While so many other bands are trying to be like this, Veronica Lipgloss have done it on their first record. Having already garnered comparisons to the art punk sounds of the early ’80s and to contemporaries like Glass Candy, this San Francisco foursome have worked in some adventurous and distinct elements to create an astonishing and urgent album.