Submarine Races

Submarine Races

Hard To Look At, Easy To See

In The Red

"Watching the submarine races" is a euphemism for making out (and more) in a car. It's the kind of thing a cop would say to be funny when he knocks on the fogged-up window of your Chevy parked in back of the Safeway to ask what you're doing there at 1:00 a.m. This Submarine Races is a three-piece from Chicago, Illinois, fronted by Ian Adams, formerly of The Ponys and Happy Supply. The Submarine Races play spiky art pop that displays Adams's love for literate UK post-punk as well as the simple but sublime songs of The Easybeats and '60s girl groups. The group is powered by Adams's serpentine melodies, 12-string Rickenbacker leads, and adenoidal vocals, which blend the elegantly wasted plaints of the Only Ones' Peter Perrett and the nervy quaver of the Violent Femmes' Gordon Gano. Bassist Steve Denekas and drummer Paul John Higgins give a jolt to Adams's originals, which are marked by his lovelorn lyrics.   On Hard To Look At, Easy To See, the band's second album, the Submarine Races deliver thirteen tracks that rock harder and are even more infectious than their debut. Adams's pop chops have never been sharper and his anglophile leanings recall the best tunes of Monochrome Set or Pastels. Denekas chips in with a lacerating garage free-for-all, "Let It Go," and the disc even includes a cover of pipe organ magician Korla Pandit's "Harem Bells."

Submarine Races

S/t

In The Red

Up periscope, sailor! There’s some hot-rocking on the horizon. Submarine Races are a threesome of arty rocker-types from Chicago, Illinois. Started by guitarist/vocalist/explorer Ian Adams (Happy Supply, The Ponys), drummer/seaman Paul John Higgins, and bassist/best mate Steve Denekas (Entertainment, The Countdown), the ’Races borrow freely from the entire Easybeats catalogue, commandeer the Modern Lovers’ understated efficiency, and all but sleep with the entirety of mid-to-late 1980’s twee, British guitar-pop bands. Submarine Races’ signature sound is both calculated to be derivative and absolutely authentic. Considering the current state of rock’s apish bravado and emotionally impaired dildo-ery, these guys remind you why you put The Pastels on mix tapes in the first place. They also happen to know what a good haircut can do for a young band’s confidence in “the game.” With a handful of jangled melodies, some polite lyrics, and plenty of charm, the group has its coordinates set for your stereo. Let’s just hope they don’t “deep-six” you when your hatch is cracked.  Submarine Races’ self-titled debut release was recorded in Chicago at El Goodo Audio. They even used the sonar recording technology found in the Soviet Alpha Class Diesel-Electric Attack Submarines! No joke. The band hope to sell an immeasurable amount of records, as long as piracy (both on the internet and at sea) is kept at bay. Nevertheless, their popularity is surely surfacing —supporting top acts such as The Dirtbombs, Maximo Park, and The Sights in the first week of their existence, The ’Races’ reputation for...