Punk rock foursome and Hopscotch alumni Spider Bags are at it again. Originally from New Jersey, the group now calls Chapel Hill home, and Take it Easy Tonite is a wintry blast of northern barroom debauchery.
Spider Bags has paired up with Durham-based Churchkey Records to put out its latest release. This two-song EP gets its name from the band’s penchant for partying while touring. It’s the emblem of a promise to “take it easy,” and it’s a promise that the group can’t seem to keep — but you won’t hear us complaining.
Title track and single “Take it Easy Tonite” opens with a distant, pulsing beat that is quickly joined by high-pitched guitars that power most of the song. The title fits perfectly, because the track’s energy by no means suggests taking it easy. Dan McGee’s reverb-heavy vocals float among many layers of guitars, a ghostly presence sometimes obscured by instrumentation.
At times it feels too busy — but then again, maybe that’s the point. You can’t take it easy and stay calm at the same time.
Next up is the B-side “Shaunda (What’s My Sign?).” It has the same reverb-heavy tone as the other track but moves at a slower, more languid pace, reminiscent of ’90s grunge rock. While this song does “take it easy” more so than the single, it keeps the same thick, guitar-heavy ambiance. It wanders around noisily a bit, sounding lost, before winding down to a quiet close.
We’re still waiting for another full length, but for now, these two tracks will do well enough to satisfy any thick garage rock-sized holes in your music collection.
