So far in 2023, Matador Records is really proving the scope of their mission by releasing albums by one of the biggest contemporary rock outfits in the world and a pair of oddball New Yorkers who are probably more surprised than you are at the contract they signed with the massively influential indie label. Similar to that latter group, local-hero Chicago youngsters Lifeguard inked a deal with Matador at the beginning of the year, joining their friends in one of last year’s biggest breakout acts (and trendsetters) Horsegirl on the roster.
As their first order of business, Asher Case, Isaac Lowenstein, and Kai Slater are reissuing last summer’s Crowd Can Talk EP (originally released by local faves Born Yesterday Records) along with a new collection of material in the form of the five-song Dressed in Trenches EP, both releases conveying the band’s penchant for the type of messy, driving noise rock Matador built its reputation on in the ’90s. While none of the members of Lifeguard were alive when Butthole Surfers and Unsane ruled the alt-rock airwaves, you’d never know by listening to their reverently hissy post-hardcore.
With the dual releases dropping today, the band created a playlist for us comprising 10 of their favorite tracks that quickly get to the point much in the same way Lifeguard’s recordings do—only in this case, much quicker. Although their cumulative “10 Songs in 10 Minutes” playlist is just a hair longer than the closing track on their Crowd Can Talk EP, it may answer some questions as to where that song’s hooks and droning riffs came from.
Read their words on each pick below, and check out the new EPs here.
Clinic, “C.Q.”
This song sounds like it was recorded on one microphone in a room that will explode in one minute and 12 seconds. It has great lyrics that read like a Sex Pistols song, except we don’t know what any of the acronyms mean—maybe they just really don’t like Yellow Magic Orchestra. Who is C.Q.?
Cornelius, “Fantasma”
Isaac found this record in the fifth grade and is deeply emotionally attached to every song. We told him there’s already a Beach Boys song on the playlist but he doesn’t care. Listen to those sweet THX harmonies!
The Undertones, “Here Comes the Summer”
Any song that starts with “Ooh baby baby” is a great song. Pop!
Slant 6, “Semi-Blue Tile”
Slant 6 has too many hits! This song is living proof that one chord is all you need to make a hit. We put so much effort into being this effortlessly catchy, but we will never be as cool as Slant 6. Neither will you!
Deerhoof, “The Pickup Bear”
Only Deerhoof can make the most disjointed, noisy disaster sound like eating a candy bar from the mud but you don’t care because it’s so yummy and you can’t get enough and that’s OK because they put out like six records a year!
Guided by Voices, “Cigarette Tricks”
A great pop freakout with the most genius lyrics that never fail to get stuck in our brains (“Billy-I Billy-L Billy-L Billy-Y!”). Catchiest 18 seconds ever written!
Hellier Ulysses, “Horse Coat”
Makes you wanna dance in a ballroom but it’s also kind of fucked up and has a weird switch up. Captures the entire party-to-rager-pipeline within only 58 seconds!
Wipers, “Telepathic Love”
The Wipers have never written a bad song. This song is the perfect balance between a straight-up power pop song and Greg Sage’s signature uncertainty, and it’s the best love song ever!
Women, “Group Transport Hall”
Women is so influential—but no one can do it like this. Vocal rounds are really cool, bring that back! This sounds like God. How did these beautiful people come out of hell (Canada)?
The Beach Boys, “Meant for You”
These boys sound so beautiful. Somehow the devil (Mike Love) managed to make us cry in 39 seconds.
