hooray for hozac!

As you’ve already seen if you’ve looked at Today’s Buzz on the homepage, we’re pretty high on HoZac Records. The Chicago label is ground zero for bands that marry keen pop sensibilities to a decidedly trashy aesthetic — which is pretty much candy for the likes of me. I first stumbled upon HoZac when I was in the early phases of a Nobunny obsession, and ordered a 7″ from the label website. This quickly became a problem for me, however. As has been documented here and elsewhere, I’m a bit of a vinyl fanatic, so it wasn’t long before I was burrowing through the online store compiling wishlists and generally being blown away by the label’s offerings.

My appetite for wax hasn’t exactly slaked since HoZac arrived on eMusic, but it has made it easier for me to prioritize. The best thing about HoZac is that they specialize in 7″s — so you can dive in today and try a few things out without spending a ton of credits. My suggestions for where to start. Just take it as a given that the general sound of all of these is “scuzzy”:

The Myelin Sheaths: Rollicking scuzzbucket girl group garage from Canada with jubilant, shouted vocals and mile-high hooks. Somewhere between C86 and classic Kill Rock Stars.

The Liminanas: Spindly, skeletal guitars and hushed female vocals. The Liminanas are from France, but the music sounds like a cleaned-up version of the Dum Dum Girls. Really great!

The Flips: ’50s sock hop music with a ’90s lo-fi twist. Band photo says it all. Adorable and irresistible.

Jacuzzi Boys: I love the Jacuzzi Boys, man. Nothing but snarl and sneer, greaser lo-fi done right.

The Girls at Dawn: More ladies rocking out — the Girls at Dawn do charming shoo-wop girlie vocals with broad-clawing guitars

The Dutchess & the Duke: Folk music done shit-fi style. The vocals are really dry and the playing is brisk — think Billy Childish busking in an airlock.

Sharp Ends: Like Crystal Stilts? Sharp Ends combine that menace with warbly robot Blank Dogs-type vocals.

Nerve City: MORE LIKE REVERB CITY. So much echo and delay swaddling jubilant monster movie ’60s music. Very good!

Mickey: Like if T. Rex and Nobunny had a baby.

Fey Gods: Cassette goth. Icicle drip guitars and lonesome vocals — nighttime sad demon jams.

What are your HoZac picks?