BODEGA – Endless Scroll
Named after the NYC equivalent of a corner shop, it’s fitting Bodega’s debut has the essentials covered; wry wit, shrewd observations and a vision of art rock’s finest punk party
Like, scroll, like, click. From the album title alone, you’d be right in thinking that BODEGA’s Endless Scroll is a bit of a millennial spin. And much like its youthful protagonists, attention span is brief thrashing through the entirety of their debut in just over 30 mins. Our digital dependence is mock-narrated between songs with a Baz Luhrmann-style narrator dishing out pop culture references (The Smiths’ Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now gets a few nods) and budding Oxford Dictionary entries (see: endless scroll).
Name Escape has that existential monologue of Eels’ E as frontman Ben Hozie asks if we’ve 'heard the latest single from so and so.' The irony isn’t lost on a group who’ve made a name for themselves on the live circuit since a packed show at SXSW, and enthusiastic airplay from 6 Music. Rightly so, their situationist post-punk artfully captures the monotony of modern age life in rinse-and-repeat riff-fuelled Bookmarks: 'All day at work, stare at computer / Come home from work, stare at computer / Do my own work, stare at computer / Rest and relax, stare at computer.'
Latest single Can’t Knock the Hustle deals with consumerism in our artificially sweetened augmented reality world: 'Selling gluten-free water with sugar / Nine dollars for a smoothie.' While standout Gyrate is much missed The Roger Sisters on speed, with rollicking basslines and running rap spats. Named after their city’s equivalent of a corner shop, it’s fitting BODEGA’s debut has all over the essentials covered; wry wit, shrewd observations and a vision of art rock’s finest punk party. Like, listen, like, like.
Listen to: Name Escape, Gyrate, Bookmarks