7 & 7 Is

Having recently received information about the April relaunch of Sub Pop's "Famed Singles Club," the editors at "7 & 7 Is" debated seriously whether to raise $70 for a year's subscription (12 singles), being sold with names such as Radiohead, Luna, Cornershop, Jesus & Mary Chain, and Modest Mouse. Thanks to some recent bad venture capital losses, the board of directors voted down the initiative, choosing instead to invest with Peek-a-Boo Global Industries, a growing DIY empire based out of Austin, Texas. Run by the famed Lone Star entrepreneurial kingpin, Travis Higdon, Peek-a-Boo put up strong numbers in the first quarter of 1998 alone, releasing three solid investment singles while offering through a mail-order, one-year membership a total of six singles for $25. Judging from the quality of product, the regents obviously made the right choice. The highest profile of the three 45s belongs to Capitol City trio the Prima Donnas, undoubtedly one of the most annoying bands on the planet. With their stupid Sussex accents, and thin, cheesy New Wave synth sounds of the Eighties, they're the bottom of the late-night repackaged tunes barrel, a heinous mix of music best left forgotten. Unfortunately, they're also undeniably brilliant at what they do and "She Had Alien Written All Over Her, handclaps et al., and "Break Your Fuckin' Head," with its drum machine pogo, are gems this band's lowbrow following will swoon over. Giving what our financial analysts term a "good investment return" are the Prima Donnas' label-mates, the Kiss Offs, led by none other than Peek-a-Boo Man of the Year, Travis Higdon. The local band's best single yet, "Bottle Blonde," gets things off to a somewhat shaky start thanks to its highlighting the Kiss Offs' weakness: the inability to channel their kinetic energy into a seemingly endless bag of edgy, stinging tunes requiring sharper execution (this is often the case live, as well). The B-side, "The Kiss That Kills," nails it, though, combining killer hooks with a biting chorus. The band's forthcoming full-length debut is highly anticipated. Equally clever and musically united are the boys and girls of Vidi Vitties, whose new 4-song EP takes the form of a night's programming in front of the ol' Magnavox TV your grandparents used to have. Playing pop music outta time -- neither Sixties nor particularly Eighties -- the Austin group's guitar tones dip a toe in the surf, shimmer with the sunlight reflecting off the waves, and jangle with enough minor chord mastery to seriously sunburn any worshippers of bright tones. The lyrics can be somewhat sophomoric -- "Ours" and "Hello Mosquito" -- but the band's blithe, sly sound is so sweet it hardly matters. Not surprisingly, the best tune here is the instrumental, "Aguardiente." Then again, if you're from Austin and venturing to the coast for some R&R on the beach, the Sir Finks are your band, and their brand-new, red-vinyl three-songer, "Devil's Agent" (Wildebeest) is your plaything. Besides being one of the better-named surf bands around, this local trio emotes the heart and drama of true surf music even if their attack is a bit thin at times. Not that their silky version of "Castaway" isn't as tasty as a six-footer at sunrise. As with Peek-a-Boo's stock, our man says this is a high-yield investment. —Raoul Hernandez

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Peek-A-Boo: PO Box 49542, Austin, TX 78765; Wildebeest Records: 5114 Calcones Woods Dr., Suite 307-412, Austin, TX 78759
"7 & 7 Is" reviews all local and national singles and 10-inch vinyl releases. Send to: "7 & 7 Is," The Austin Chronicle, PO Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765.