BODEGA

In the organizer's words:

Most people outside of Brooklyn first heard of Bodega in 2018, when their debut Endless Scroll - described by the Guardian as "riot grrrl rant meets deadpan satire" - brought new vigor and intelligence to the post-punk game. So much so that comparisons were quickly drawn to Courtney Barnett, Parquet Courts and even LCD Soundsystem - a claim that was borne out after the release of follow-up Broken Equipment (2022). The band maintained their unyielding, clean-cut approach, but tempered the occasionally clattering rock of their debut with a more melodic edge or, as the NME put it, "sugary post-punk goodness". Two years later, they're back with LP number three... only in a strange way, it's something like LP number zero. On Our Brand Could Be Your Life, songwriters (and co-vocalists) Ben Hozie and Nikki Belfiglio return to their pre-Endless Scroll output, which Hozie says only "a handful of people in Bushwick, Brooklyn" have heard, to rework the very first songs they wrote together into 15 sparkling, hook-heavy, supremely catchy new numbers. Though it sounds pretentious to talk about looking back in order to move forward, perhaps that's the kind of thing Bodega themselves would say ... Either way, the first releases from Our Brand Could Be Your Life are very promising. Lead single and gloriously catchy tune 'Tarkovski' was singled out for special praise on BBC 6 Music by Steve Lamacq and Deb Grant, and this week saw the release of the superb follow-up 'City Is Taken'. Less obviously radio-friendly than "Tarkovski", Belfiglio's slightly menacing, nursery rhyme vocals on "City Is Taken" are balanced by a driving, quirky melody that imprints itself on the consciousness and stubbornly refuses to leave. - Dominic Utton for Q

Price information:

plus fee.