by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
San Francisco has become an undeniable beacon for the best new power-pop tinged rock ‘n’ roll bands of the past decade or so, the city seemingly so fertile for ultra-sticky fuzz pop charm. Spiral Dub are the latest addition to the scene, a band comprised of familiar faces from Almond Joy, Fuckwolf, Rays, DIIV, and beyond. Their self-titled debut album, due out August 4th via Sanctuary Moon, is a lively bunch of sugar-spun swarmers and high-octane proto-punk, built on the strength of three guitars and plenty of psychedelic heft. They arrive fully formed, the songs are spiky but hooky, there’s an effortless cool and endlessly warbling distortion. The texture of the record feels in constant motion, the lush psychedelic nature of it becoming the constant thread as they roar between barn-burners and sun-spotted pop.
There’s an amazing collective energy to their debut single, “Rise and Shine,” the entire thing bursting with the sort of exuberance that comes from the excitement of a new project. The sextet are amped upon entry, with layered vocals and mountainous melodies, it’s a song that could split the difference between blistering street punk and Sesame Street anthems, a ramshackle moment of pure rock joy. There’s a sense of rawness at its core as the band dig into the melted popsicle stickiness of the buzzing riffs, but the sing-song harmonized vocals, shimmering in a permanent glow become an undeniable fixture. Not every song on the record hits quite so brightly, but it’s safe to say that Spiral Dub have made a tripped out pop ripper for the ages. The video, shot by Spiral Dub and Forest Leporte and edited by Madeline Allard, captures that seem feeling of jubilation with live performances and massive smiles in abundance.