the dad - "s/t"
[seven inch]
omahas - the dad - have been playing and spraying the mid-west with their brand of krusty pop splash for a few years now. this three song affair sees the first recordings with a line-up change, which in turn changed the sound and attitude a bit...the uninitiated will call it "garage rock" - yet the wise, and informed will hear the true basement murk that transcends "garage" and makes it something unique and original. limited to 300 numbered copies, in xeroxed covers with insert and digital download.
"7 AM"
"second best friends"
"getting worse"
reviews
Shifting focus from the carnival-like keyboards that so defined their debut album to a more guitar driven sound, Omaha 4-piece The Dad sound more traditionally punk than ever before. Armed with slop-pop riffs and growling chords, this 7-inch is their most concentrated effort yet. All of the 3 songs actually stretch past the 2-minute mark, and no time is wasted, gnarly hooks packed into each fuzz-laden second. The record comes in a yellow paper sleeve with awesome xeroxed artwork. - HALF GIFTS
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Debut wax from Omaha's The Dad (who I think were called Dads at some point) on Pittsburgh's Unread label. "7 A.M." is a magnificent piece of junk-pop, utilizing catchy untuned guitars and monotone vocal croak to craft an off-kilter winner that's very Columbus-esque (Guinea Worms vs. TNV...). "Second Best Friends" brings in some farfisa pounding for a borderline-annoying garagey rave that would be too cute were it not cut through with some squealing guitar leads. B-Side is lengthy indie-rock melancholia that isn't as enjoyable as the A-Side but is again saved by some lo-fi guitar work. Ugly pop that's worth a look, "7 A.M." is a hit. Scum stats: 300 copies. - (RK)TERMINAL BOREDOM
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Unread Records may have moved their headquarters recently to Pittsburgh, PA but thankfully their aesthetic hasn't changed a bit since Christopher first contacted me back in 2006. Their packaging always reminded me of early Shrimper or Homestead Records handmade quality that’s still inspiring to me today. You could see in the Xerox sleeve and catalog inserts or the hand written center labels that putting out your own singles was a really personal act. Unread sent in this single from The Dad, out of Omaha, Nebraska and it also recalls those home recorded late ‘90s sounds from those labels as well with a combination of off the rails garage and ramshackle punk in three tracks that held it together long enough for two sides of basement pop.
A-Side’s “7 A.M.” opens with a scuzzy bass setting the tempo of punk speed and before you know it they've built up a rickety, layered racket in the best kind of Yips way, different than just garage because they’re make sure things have that deliberate out of tune edge. It's home recorded and personally hand crafted while ignoring the typical sad bastard sound. No one’s feeling sorry for themselves in the cement block, bare bulb basement. It’s as if Mad Nanna were going more of a pop sound, less experimental or psych. There’s no time for self reflection here, they just can’t hold anything back, the layers piled on in dense melodies. They have an informal edge with off tempo manic punk vocals that keep this from ever getting too tight or together. I got to hand it to these guys, its exactly the kind of thing that straddles the line of garage without being laid back and post-punk frantic, jagged timings, pushing things right up to that edge. "Second Best Friends" blasts spastic organ and echo yelling reverb in this jangly jam. This sloppy, taped together sound and psych organ has something to do with the Johnny Ill Band if they were handled by Mike Rep. This second track is reinforcing their unusual rhythms in both of these tracks, a jagged spazzy pop sound that you couldn’t get any other way. It’s the same reason I love Times New Viking and Home Blitz, the way the recording captures their crazy ecstasy of playing.
B-Side’s "Getting Worse" has a sharp electric melody kick this off in a slower tempo. Rehearsal space gold of inspired delivery that wouldn’t reach these heights if you were taking things too seriously, they have their shit together, what could sound like apathy is spontaneity. Their riffs are jagged and tight exploding in muddy, treble spiked pop, the chorus on this particularly delivers like G. Green’s damaged pop.
Get it from Unread Records. I can't say enough about the really unique things Christopher has brought to my attention over the years. His catalog continues to expand with gems like this getting more essential. - SEVEN INCHES BLOG