Harlem

HippiesMatador * * *

If it’s a glorious mess you’re after, Austin’s garage-rock revivalists Harlem will see you right. As befits an act obviously schooled in the “Nuggets . . .” way of creating a racket, Harlem have plenty of throwaway choruses, dirty jangles and goodtime hooky jams at their disposal, which they dispense with a sloppy flourish and at a blistering pace.

Live, they add some tart banter to the mix but, on record, they hold that pickle in favour of other ingredients. Like fellow Austin residents White Denim, this trio are at their best when they add some grit to the engine and steer the ship away from the path adhered to by their garage-rock peers. This means that for every finely shaped Number Oneor infectious Friendly Ghost, there's a twist like Torture Meor Cloud Pleaserto shake things up a little. myspace.com/harlemduh

Download tracks: Friendly Ghost, Torture Me