If you live outside the state Texas, the likelihood that you would know about the city of Lubbock is very slim. Hell, even if you have heard about it you probably would think only of tumbleweeds, cowboy hats, and maybe Bobby Knight. Surprisingly in this dust-bowl relic of a town, which gave birth to rock & roll legend Buddy Holly, lies a pretty damn good music scene — even one judged by modern standards.
As one would expect there are a handful of great singer/songwriter and country acts that call Lubbock home, but there is also a budding garage/noise rock uprising taking place, championed most by the acid-rockers The Numerators. Looking solely at the descriptions they give on their facebook page, it’s tough to pinpoint their exact sound to an unexposed listener:
- Local dirty living room-noise pop.
- Drunkenly played stoner noise .
- Bathroom rock (?!).
- And my personal favorite: Neon Nursery Rhymes
This musical mystery is part of what’s great about the group: you never know exactly what one of their shows will entail. Now I’ve witnessed my fair share of Numerators sets in the past (after all, I went to college at Texas Tech), and I have to say that they are one of the most wildly unpredictable and hyper-energetic bands out there. Whether it be Michael Jackson covers, homemade hip-hop tracks, or just thrashing out their patented fuzzed out psych rock, they put on a damn good show.
Although their live endeavors are becoming more-or-less well known, not much has been said about their music (well, unless you count a badass Fader review). I got my hands on a couple of tracks from their highly limited self-released Summer Tour 2009 CD/R, and I have to say that it is on par with other noise bands that have been making the rounds on some more established sites.
The two particular tracks that I enjoy most from the EP are “City of Gold” and “Strawberry Dreams”. The former begins with a repetitive hazy guitar line muddling your mind just enough before the foggy vocals, courtesy of singer Sammi Rana, push you over the auditory intoxicated legal limit. “Strawberry Dreams” on the other hand sobers you up a bit with its driving floor-tom beat, only to lead you down a path of chaotic destruction midway through before bringing you back to quasi-order by the finish. It’s an exhilarating roller coast ride to say the least.
Right now, The Numerators seem to be staying put in Lubbock for a while — with only a highlighted December 9th gig with much talked about Florida indie-rockers Surfer Blood on the schedule. However, if you do get a chance to see them live, DO IT! Trust me, you won’t regret it. If you need some tunes now, contact Burgers Records. As for a sample, here is a blast-from-the-past youtube video along with a “Strawberry Dreams” mp3:
The Numerators // Strawberry Dreams
Tags: EP, mp3, Surfer Blood, The Numerators