Maxines, The

If only every garage rock fuzz pop combo doled out their fiercest party favors with verve, style and seahorses the way the Maxines do, the world would continue to rock on it's axis long after the sun does a dancefloor super-nova to the Max. Here is girl-group heart and surfer-boy swagger coolly balanced as The Maxines. Two former Texans, guitarist Matt Murillo and drummer Kelly Norman rock out, sing together and make the coolest music ever on their new 7-inch EP, Drugstore [IPU140], a volume in our International Pop Underground series. Totally accessible and surprisingly PG-13, Drugstore is the kind of album you want to blast in the parking lot after school lets out, or bump while cruisin' the strip in your dad's T-Bird. They make garage rock as it was always meant to be made—fresh, rebellious and effortlessly fun.

Recorded at Dub Narcotic Studio with Ben Hargett and at High Command Olympia Studio with reclusive savant Captain Trips Ballsington, Kelly and Matt take equal turns singing and thrashing on the four tracks, and are obviously having a good time. Kelly laughs freely before banging the drums in the title track "Drugstore," and though Matt goofs around with his lyrics his bravado never spreads thin. Kelly exudes Girls in the Garage confidence, most notably on "Hang Around," where her teasing lines are salty and alluring, and her drumming cues the drum-drum-drum of a heartbeat. Match it up with Matt's heavy cords and reverb, and you have a track made for mixed tapes and power comps. With more recording to come in the future, the duo plan to tour, record, and continue to have all of the fun on stage, occasionally joined by Matt's six year old nephew on drums. Hey, that's just how they roll.

This is Vol. CXL in 's International Pop Underground Series.

1. Drugstore
2. Ghost in the Cove
3. Heartbeat
4. Hang Around

Also available:

The Maxines, Burn It Down CS (Girlsville)