Sub Pop Records

OBITS

You have questions about Obits. This is understandable. They’re an intriguing band. For starters, you ask, “Are Obits ‘indie rock veterans’?” The answer is: yes and no. Yes, they are accomplished musicians who once fronted Drive Like Jehu, Edsel, Hot Snakes, and Pitchfork. But also; No, they are not active or retired members of the United States military. They are not veterans in that sense. It’s good to get these things sorted out. Don’t worry—there are no dumb questions.

Are Obits a young band? They are. Another good question. A child born in 2007, when Greg Simpson joined as bassist, would not yet be in kindergarten. Obits didn’t self-release their first single (“One Cross Apiece” b/w “Put It in Writing”) until late 2008. Their debut LP (I Blame You, on Sub Pop), wasn’t released until March 2009.

Is it true fans bootlegged Obits’ very first show? It is very much true. Does their stripped-down rock incorporate elements of surf and garage? Absolutely it does. The members of Obits are fans of oldies. They generally dislike newies. But their influences simmer in the crock-pot of human creativity; you will find only disappointment if you try to deduce the muse of any given song.

What, you ask, of Obits’ new record? Well, for starters, it’s their second full-length, and it’s called Moody, Standard and Poor. It was recorded at Brooklyn’s Saltlands Studio by Eli Janney and Geoff Sanoff. Sub Pop will release it on March 29, 2011. This concerns you. Isn’t that Vangelis’s birthday? To be perfectly honest, it is. This was a scheduling snafu, plain and simple. There’s nothing to be done about it now.

Will this be a “yelly” record?…