Allah-Las: “Catamaran”
If you are in the mood for a little throwback garage rock, look no further than San Francisco’s Los Angeles’ Allah-Las. I just stumbled across their recent Catamaran 7” on Pres Records. It’s not an incredibly innovative sound, but they do hit the fuzz-jangle-psych-pop notes in just the right ways. And the production by Nick Waterhouse, who runs Pres, gives the sound the perfect nostalgic feel without going overboard on the reverb. Listen to “Catamaran” below, and, if you dig it, well, cross your fingers for the next time around because this edition’s run has sold out. Thankfully, you can at least stream the tune online (along with B-side/Roots cover “Long Journey”) and buy the mp3s if you like. Perhaps one day Allah-Las will make it as far as the Midwest for a local show. For the time being, though, just stream the songs and dream a dream of the sun and surf far away from this Minnesota ice.
—Jon Behm
My Dear John Behm,
Thank you for another insightful post. You always seem to find the gems. I am a long time reader, first time commenter.
One point of clarification: whilst relishing “Catamaran,” I performed a “Google Search” only to discover the Allah-Las do not come from San Francisco, as you suggest, but rather they hail from Los Angeles, California. In the spirit of transparency and accountability, I respectfully request you amend your post accordingly.
Sincerest regards,
HoneyCombs
Thanks for the tip HoneyCombs – I’ll make the fix as soon as I can. And thanks for reading!
Glad these guys are getting some love