Popstrangers: Antipodes

     Carpark Records is fast becoming one of my favorite labels. It is the home of Cloud Nothings and they just released Antipodes by Popstrangers. Popstrangers are a newish band from New Zealand who are taking the Nirvana track to stardom. By that I mean they are a guitar, bass and drum trio that blows through drummers at a steady clip:) That may bode well for David Larson (current drummer) since we all know how Dave Grohl's life turned out. The band is rounded out by singer / guitarist Joel Flyger and bassist Adam Page.
     I first heard of Popstrangers last year when the Flying Nun website posted their video for the song "What Else Could They Do?". I loved it and have been patiently waiting for them to release an album in the US. Friday, I was just killing time and went to Record Den to look around. I was about to leave when I saw Antipodes on top of a pile of cds waiting to be shelved. I almost screamed like a little girl. Now I'm impatiently waiting for Carpark to bring them here for a tour. I checked on the Googles to see what Antipodes meant and it turns out it's an island in New Zealand, so there ya go. By the way, what's in the water in New Zealand. Amazing bands have been coming out of there for thirty years.
     Popstrangers excel at walking the tightrope between noise pop and melodic rock. Some songs, usually my favorites, fall on the spectrum as melodic noise. These songs would include "Heaven", "What Else Could They Do?" and "Witches Hand". Many songs on this album are slow burners, in which the lyrics don't come in until nearly two minutes into the song. I could go on about their influences (including Nirvana), but they really have their own sound that isn't derivative. Antipodes is a strong debut and I recommend that my kids check it out.