By Michael Harkin
Memphis’ Jay Reatard is only in his twenties, but he’s already a garage-punk legend: in the last two years following stints in bands like the Lost Sounds and the Angry Angles, he’s released a future classic LP in 2006’s Blood Visions, as well as a metric tonne of terrific single cuts.
As a well-documented onstage punch-out in Canada recently showed, the nose-breaking intensity of his melodic chops have been bowling over tastemakers everywhere, especially the folks at the Matador label. Following some especially wonderful wax last year (the “I Know A Place” 7-inch, the “Night of Broken Glass” 12-inch), Mr. Reatard and Matador arranged this year to release a new 7-inch single every month for six months in gradually decreasing quantities, which would eventually be compiled onto a full-length disc.
“See/Saw,” the A-side from single no. 1, is still the biggest scorcher of the series thus far: his double-tracked nasal yelp and ticker tape enunciation turn lines like “And that is all that I know!” into something shout-alongable and triumphant. “Screaming Hand” is delightful, too. It’s got a Sparks-y, theatrical chorus (“You want a hero? No no no no no…”) and a simple, infectious keyboard lick that make for an all-too-fast rave up, kinda like his notoriously short, fiery live gigs.