Coathangers, The

Parasite EP Limited Edition Colored Vinyl

Parasite kicks off with the title track, a rowdy throwback to a younger, angrier
incarnation of the band. Crafted in the wake of the election and during a tumultuous
period in the band members' private lives, "Parasite" is pure catharsis. "During the
making of our last album, I didn't want to scream anymore, I just wanted to sing and
focus on melody. When we came to this recording, I just wanted to scream and
curse," says guitarist/vocalist Julia Kugel. If the EP is meant as a journey through the
various stages of the band's career, it certainly storms out of the gate with the same
kind of piss-and-vinegar of their eponymous debut. And while "Wipe Out" is another
rowdy venture, with bassist Meredith Franco taking over the lead vocal duties over a
steady barrage of pointed power-chords, it also showcases the rousing choruses that
elevated the trio from underground heroines to an internationally renowned garage
act. Despite the adverse times, The Coathangers' mastery of pop cannot be contained
forever, as is evident in the EP's single "Captain's Dead", with its sultry verses,
triumphant chorus, and a bombastic freak-out of noisy guitar. The journey through
The Coathangers' musical evolution leads to a revamped version of "Down Down" off
2016's Nosebleed Weekend LP and the smoky twang of "Drifter", in which
drummer/vocalist Stephanie Luke demonstrates her knack for solid Dusty Springfieldstyle
ballads.