Local Radar: Vintage Kicks

The term "geek rock", at least to me, always conjured up images of sweater-vest wearing, bespectacled nerds bent over their guitars, offering nasal-y, lovesick anthems (see: Rivers Cuomo). It seems appropriate enough, since all geeks are naturally whine-y, nasal-y weaklings, who might be crushed under the weight of an electric guitar.

Google image result #1 for "Death by Guitar."
(From this site)

And yet -- having exhibited nerd tendencies (I suppose) for most of my life (at least until college, when nerdiness became "hip") -- and having joined a fraternity (if you will) where Nietzsche jokes were tossed around at the foosball table -- I have to say: no geeks these days listen to Weezer. (Weezer is for your friends trapped in high school, and people who watch Glee.) Geeks in Philadelphia just wanna rock.

The Dead Milkmen -- original Philly geek rockers

Enter Vintage Kicks, a hard-hitting, punk-rock 5-some whose debut record King Geek (2011) offers the sort of bitter, volatile ragers that sound best blasted on full-volume, and make me want to smash shit every time i listen. Drawing on post- and garage punk (think: The Pixies, Hot Snakes, Murder City Devils) with a tinge of emo (Piebald, The Promise Ring) and references to "Judas," "Rick Ocasek" and "my senior thesis," Vintage Kicks make music that seems perfectly crafted for New York Times-reading rebels and Spring Fling at Pilam.

V. Kicks

Tunes like "Absolutely Crazy" ricochet with fiery angst, while "Jetty Jump" matches fluid, melodic guitar with hostile vocals and jagged riffs. Vocalist Alex Marlys half sings-half screams while Chris Penny's capricious guitar licks and Mark Walter's aggressive drumming keeps things moving. They've made 2 appearances on my radio show already, with more soon to come -- nothing gets the blood flowing like an adrenaline-fueled punch to the eardrums.

Download their debut record, King Geek, for FREE via their Bandcamp, and get ready to rage.


Previously on Local Radar: The Really Cooks. (See all "Local Radar" posts here.)

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