BROOKLYN BEAT: WOJCIK

February 10. 2011 | By Kiri

Lately, the genre “garage rock” is most often attached to reverb-obsessed bands whose appeal seems to lie more in their scrappy DIY aesthetic than in any prominent (or even discernable) melodies or lyrics. Enter WOJCIK, a Brooklyn duo that plays fierce, seductive garage rock with teeth. Their [VOY-chek] EP, whose title helpfully tells how to pronounce the band’s name, blends just enough fuzz with sharp riffs, tight drumming, and singer/guitarist Hailey Wojcik’s powerful, casually unapologetic voice swaggering through blood-soaked tales of betrayal and revenge.

The EP opens with “Teeth,” on which Wojcik unleashes a bluesy howl as she sings, “Hold my breath/Hold my teeth in your neck/So you won’t run away.” “Off Your Meds” is a driving, minimalist rant against a former friend who’s become “just another one of them.” The upbeat single “Tiny Mussels” finds the duo at their melodic best, with Wojcik singing in a compellingly jaded tone that “I’ll be warming my hands on the bridges I’ve burned.” “Russian Doll” is a heavy, boozy waltz that takes aim at a self-centered seductress. “Yarrow” pairs a deceptively jaunty beat and catchy melody with some of Wojcik’s most cutting lyrics, opening with “How much yarrow to stop the blood?” and ending the EP with repeated cries of “Shut your mouth!” Three cheers to WOJCIK for packing so much power into five tracks and putting some much-needed fire back into garage rock. Download the EP for free below.

WOJCIK plays Don Pedro February 11 and Bruar Falls February 18.

Know a Brooklyn band that should be featured here? Email kiri@theowlmag.com.

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