Song of the Day - A Place to Bury Strangers: "To Fix the Gash in Your Head"

For all the flack that so many people give Pitchfork, it is hard to argue with how valuable their exposure is to a struggling indie band. While many (including myself) may take issue with the artists they chose to shine their bright light on, or the self-important overwrought tone of much of their reviews, they do tend to have an eye for hidden gems every now and then. Last week I was reminded of that fact when I downloaded the debut album from Brooklyn's A Place to Bury Strangers based solely on the glowing review it received from the indie tastemakers at P4K.

As usual, I merely glanced at the rating and didn't read the review until after I had listened to the album myself (so as to not fill my head with any preconceived notions). Three days and roughly eight or nine listens later I can honestly say A Place to Bury Strangers' self-titled debut is an exceptional work of noise-pop and shoegaze soundscapes.

"To Fix the Gash in Your Head" is simply one of many gems found this record, but definitely a great place to start if you are looking for a four minute primer on APTBS. Beginning with a Blue Monday-esque drum machine and a swirling wind of guitar distortion (Kevin Shields fans would be proud) as its foundation, the song races out of the gate and never slows down. As lead vocalist/guitarist and audio geek (he makes custom effects pedals with names like Interstellar Overdriver, Supersonic Fuzz Gun and Total Sonic Annihilation...enough said) Oliver Ackermann sings "I want to get you drunk/I don't care/I won't feel sorry" in his industrial-pop drone, I feel as though he is making an unapologetic declaration about his music in general. As if to say, my music is supposed to give you a gash in your head, deal with it or else I will "kick your face in." If you're like me, just put on a helmet and get on board.