Carsick Cars – “Carsick Cars” – [Bing Masi]

Thurston Hunger   11/25/2015   A Library, CD

2007 noise rock debut from this Chinese three
piece. Zhang Shouwang is a feeedback fiend of
the highest order, shimmer summoning everything
from Galaxie 500 to Sonic Youth. He sings in
both Mandarin and ‘merican, “Gun” is an innocent
ode to rock ‘n roll depravity of yesteryore
with a cry of “cocaine, cocaine cocaine.” The
other English lyrics remind me of that “Rocky
Mountain Low” collection, where rock and roll
was not only the medium, but sort of a tangible
motivation for it all. It’s very crisp pop
rock, big ringing chords, disaffected back-up
vocals, short driving songs that deliver.
Check out the chord fritz fade on “Xiong Mao.”
A stately blitz ballad starts of #10 and then
9:55 minutes in a bonus track arises from
silence. Shouwang is the only one still wearing
his sick seatbelt as both Li Weisi and Li Qing
left the band in 2010 and are now in Snapline.
Carsick Cars have hit some success since then
(SXSW citing) but this album feels fresh and
vibrant, and definitely hearkens back to
shiny indie rock daze. Now, where are the
Beijing Beefheart bands!?!? -Thurston Hunger