Water All Around

"Water all around...never learn how to swim now." This site is devoted to great alternative music. Like "Swingin' Party" by the Replacements from which the aforementioned lyrics hail. These posts are intended to introduce visitors to bands that I believe deserve greater attention. If you wish to have an MP3 removed, email me at zotzedwriter@yahoo.com.

Monday, July 10, 2006

XTC/Dogs Die in Hot Cars



There was a stretch in the very early 80s when XTC was my favorite band. I loved their combination of biting lyrics and bouncy, Beatlesque punk/pop. I recall as a senior in high school going with my father to a weekend convention where one of the youth activities was a design-your-own-T-shirt contest. Despite my certainty that no one within 5,000 miles of the convention would know who or what XTC is (a drug? a blue movie? a sex stimulant?), I set out to capture XTC’s Drums and Wires album (pictured above) on my shirt. As I carefully put the final brushstrokes on my masterpiece, I glanced over at the neighboring table and – !!! – there was some kid painting Drums and Wires on his shirt. An even bigger shocker came later in the evening: The kid’s shirt won.

Recently, I experienced a cheerier and less stunning XTC-related surprise: My discovery of the band Dogs Die in Hot Cars. While you wouldn’t know it from their unfortunate moniker, these guys produce an ear-pleasing sound remarkably similar to XTC. And their lead singer is nearly a vocal clone of XTC’s Andy Partridge. Hear for yourself:

[MP3] XTC – Helicopter
[MP3] Dogs Die in Hot Cars – Godhopping

Buy Drums and Wires by XTC
Read more about XTC
Buy Please Describe Yourself by Dogs Die in Hot Cars
Visit the Dogs Die in Hot Cars website