Hot New Mexicans "Well...Um...Er...Uh" 7" FCR/LDR 010
The same goes for Ninja Gun. From the outside looking in, this case could be made: “Dude, so totally not punk rock.” And if you were just listening to the music, weren’t reading along to the lyrics, and you didn’t know the band’s intentions, you’d have a point. Hot New Mexicans sound almost straight-up like a band from the late ‘60s, early ‘70s who appreciated The Beatles as much as Credence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty, and Elvis Costello. It’s well-produced rock’n’roll that’s equally serious and playful… and in this day and age, on stages large and small, that’s a fuckin’ anomaly. So while this has few outward trappings of punk—there are no conceptual safety pins, middle fingers holding their music in place, or dumpster dives mentioned—it’s celebratory, it’s made by and directed to the disenfranchised, and it’s just great music to get behind. If you’re a fan of The Carrie Nations and haven’t checked these guys out yet, it’d be a good idea to. –Todd Taylor/RazorCake (Fast Crowd / Little Deputy)