Purling Hiss: The hoodoo (Single, 2011)

"When I interviewed Purling Hiss over the summer, one of the points that all three members of the in-the-red garage power trio agreed upon was that the band was their main musical priority and they were dedicated to upping their profile. That point is borne out by a currently in-progress European jaunt and an extensive US tour (with The War on Drugs) they're launching as soon as they return. The clip above features the full band lineup jamming out to “The Hoodoo,” for an approximation of what you're in store for during a live gig. In addition, the band is releasing two separate tour tapes reflecting different sides to their sound, limited to 100 copies each. Paisley Montage is a 40-minute continuous experimental recording, while Dizzy Polizzy is a more song-oriented effort that Polizze explains shares a kinship with their 2010 full-length, Public Service Announcement" (Read: Visitation Rites)

MP3: Purling Hiss: "The Hoodoo"

Purling Hiss: Voices (Single, 2011)

Philadelphia's Purling Hiss do snarled guitar rock so well that they almost seem like a concept project about shredding. Infectious as they can be, the song structures on their first two LPs were minimal to the point of hard rock caricature, and always seemed more of a frame for Mike Polizze's unchained, stream-of-consciousness guitar acrobatics than focal points in themselves. "Voices" a track from the band's new six-track EP on Mexican Summer, sees the frontman wielding his axe in more of an ornamental spirit, sketching bluesy curlicues above a hulking power chord progression and some lackadaisically delivered lyrics about not wanting to be alone, not wanting to be stoned, and not wanting to go home. Sounds like we're arriving at the eye of the Purling Hiss storm, and discovering some true-blue songcraft. --Emilie Friedlander, Visitation Rites

MP3: Purling Hiss: "Voices"