Suzi Chunk and Groovy Uncle - Barefoot In The Car Park (Ltd 7")

A taster from the pairing's forthcoming LP. Part seven in State Records' Soundgate Sound Acetate series.

This limited 7” single has a lot to live up to. Suzi Chunk's last long-player Girl From The Neck Down was a real artistic success and a personal favourite to boot. Fear not though, “Barefoot In The Car Park” stands up well against any track from the album. An uptempo soul-swinging beat with a surf-guitar coda it evokes an idealised version of neighbourhood. The swinging sixties sound they make still sounds fresh and spirited. It bodes well for forthcoming album Persuaded.

B-Side “Wet Weekend” is something of a Sunday morning comedown compared to the A-side's Saturday night party vibe. All minor-key, post White Album melancholia, its after-the-party feel is perfectly captured by descending chords and an exquisite melodica solo. It conjures up the feeling of walking home through early morning drizzle when things haven't quite worked out as you hoped and you can't see beyond the next working week. Sadness never sounded so good.

Click here for more on Suzi Chunk.

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The Higher State - Potentially (Everyone Is Your Enemy) 7"

The latest 7” in State Records' Soundgate Sound Acetate series.

Following on from last years' “I Just Pretend” (read my review here), The Higher State's latest 7” ups the psych-punk quota, adding extra acidic bite to their west coast folk rock sound. A-side “Potentially (Everyone Is Your Enemy)” is a cautionary paranoid tale which mixes frenetic drumming, snarling fuzz guitar, vocal harmony and folk-rock jangle.

You could rightly argue that this has all been done before in the 60s but right now nobody else is making records with this sound so convincingly. State Records just get it right every time. Want further proof? Then check out the recent Paul Messis album, or last year's Suzi Chunk LP. It's aided by State having their own small but characteristic sounding studio. As every musician and sound engineer knows, limitations are beneficial in achieving a great sound.

B-side “All Ties That Bind” is pretty cool too, one and a half minutes of melodic folk-rock bolstered by spiralling lead guitar. The intro also contains a knowingly cheeky nod to the Stones “Last Time”.

Limited to 500 copies of 70gram vinyl on State Records.
www.staterecs.com