Secret Life of Painters

This melodic indie rock quartet sounds a bit like another local band, radio rulers Jimmy Eat World, whom SLP once joined on a Midwest tour that included a gig in a barn. The A-side, "Hold Your Flashlight," is a chugging, hard-edged pop number full of images of summer camp, canary...

By Niki D'Andrea

February 23, 2006

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This melodic indie rock quartet sounds a bit like another local band, radio rulers Jimmy Eat World, whom SLP once joined on a Midwest tour that included a gig in a barn. The A-side, "Hold Your Flashlight," is a chugging, hard-edged pop number full of images of summer camp, canary traps, and cemeteries, and the underlying message seems to be about either love or molestation. The B-side, "Magnets & Energy," is a tight rock ballad about boozing, with dirge-like guitar solos and lines like "Sharing magnets and energy/Sloppy drunk, sloppy drunk are we." Hints of the band's big influences -- mainly Guided By Voices and early R.E.M. -- are apparent, but overall, SLP sounds like a band that's got its own shit together. The two tracks on this 7-inch are from the band's upcoming full-length, Careers in Poverty, and incidentally, our copy is hand-numbered #272/300.

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Niki D'Andrea has covered subjects including drug culture, women's basketball, pirate radio stations, Scottsdale staycations, and fine wine. She has worked at both New Times and Phoenix Magazine, and is now a freelancer.

Contact: Niki D'Andrea