As I watch and listen to the footage of this week’s session featuring The Coathangers, I can’t help but think of Halloween. Maybe it’s the oncoming presence of fall as it creeps in undeniably with the wind, a little more every day. Maybe it’s my intense craving for candy as of late, and I’m subconsciously fantasizing about the mother of all candy-giving holidays. Most likely, it’s the aesthetic of The Coathangers; a lively clash of dissonance and melody in which every instrument and voice contributes to the overall haunting sound. Think The Dead Weather but with a sharper edge, making The Coathangers ever more viscous, yet ever more gentle.

Breaking down the whole of their sound, there is the constant, forceful drive of the drums, the eerie howl and moan of the keyboard, the ghostly thump of the bass, the sharp cut of the electric guitar, and, of course, the wayward vocals. In a way, The Coathangers are like four witches making a boiling hot brew. In another way, it’s just four girls who know how to rock and couldn’t care less about my visions of Halloween. They would be a great band for a Halloween party, though. Just saying.

The songs featured in this session come from The Coathangers’ third full-length album Larceny and Old Lace. Together, the three songs give a decent sample of their range. “Hurricane” shows off their heavy and aggressive nature, while “Trailer Park Boneyard” hints they can be airy and melodic when they want. “Sicker” stands as a hard hitting middle ground between the two songs, but you can pretty much count on all of their songs to hit hard. That’s just what they do.

Be sure to check out Larceny and Old Lace over at Suicide Squeeze Records.

Recorded and Mixed by Corey Barnes at Lovebird Recording
Filmed and Edited by Doug Fellegy
Written by Gerard Pannekoek

MP3 Downloads
The Coathangers - Hurricane
The Coathangers - Trailer Park Boneyard
The Coathangers - Sicker