May 17th, 2006 11:04am
Spill Me Out On To The FloorThe Oohlas "Small Parts...
Spill Me Out On To The Floor
The Oohlas "Small Parts" - If you can imagine The Breeders, Veruca Salt, Lush, Dressy Bessy, and Throwing Muses as gigantic, brightly colored mechanical lions, the Oohlas would be like the Voltron that they would form when...um, assembled by little boys with generous parents in the mid-80s. I'm sorry, but this is just a horrible simile. Anyway, the band's first record, and this song in particular, sounds like the revenge of a 90s alt-rock subgenre that is well-loved by many, given serious critical thought by very few, and cruely, has no name. If The Killers' shtick was to revitalize glammy early 80s synthpop by beefing it up and writing choruses that demanded full-stadium singalongs, The Oohlas do the same for the likes of Belly, Letters to Cleo, and That Dog. Most of those bands never had a problem writing hooks or rocking out, but if only some of them had dropped a chorus as huge and heart-breaking as the one in "Small Parts" when they most needed a good follow-up hit back in the day. (Click here for the official Oohlas site.)
The Oohlas "Small Parts" - If you can imagine The Breeders, Veruca Salt, Lush, Dressy Bessy, and Throwing Muses as gigantic, brightly colored mechanical lions, the Oohlas would be like the Voltron that they would form when...um, assembled by little boys with generous parents in the mid-80s. I'm sorry, but this is just a horrible simile. Anyway, the band's first record, and this song in particular, sounds like the revenge of a 90s alt-rock subgenre that is well-loved by many, given serious critical thought by very few, and cruely, has no name. If The Killers' shtick was to revitalize glammy early 80s synthpop by beefing it up and writing choruses that demanded full-stadium singalongs, The Oohlas do the same for the likes of Belly, Letters to Cleo, and That Dog. Most of those bands never had a problem writing hooks or rocking out, but if only some of them had dropped a chorus as huge and heart-breaking as the one in "Small Parts" when they most needed a good follow-up hit back in the day. (Click here for the official Oohlas site.)
5/17/06 4:47 pm
I like this, Ultragrrrl imprint aside.
The that dog./Cleo folks sort of generated their own revival of the form by contributing to the Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack. They begat Avril Levigne.
5/17/06 5:11 pm
Definitely- Anna Waronker of that dog. wrote tracks for that soundtrack, and also Jason Falkner (formerly of Jellyfish) .
5/17/06 6:50 pm
Josie & the Pussycats is one of the most underrated movies of the decade. Though it was so of-the-moment I wonder how funny it seems now.
5/18/06 3:11 pm
mega nice
5/18/06 10:09 pm
I wanted to hate this. I really really wanted to hate it.
Naturally, I think it’s darling and very well-done. Derivative, sure, but in the best ways.
What I want to know, though, is if The Oohlas are as disappointing live as all the bands you name-checked were. The adorable swagger of the studio recordings never materialized in live shows — except maybe with Veruca Salt.
5/21/06 6:13 am
I still want that Black Lion from Voltron. Thanks for bringing up some painful childhood memories
5/22/06 7:17 pm
I second you on that Josie and The Pussycats movie comment.
Its like the Animal Farm of this decade and no one knows it.
5/22/06 10:37 pm
this is probably the most tolerable oohlas song i’ve heard to date - but that’s not to say the girls voice is any less annoying. the rest of their music is pure rubbish. surprise, surprise that it came to us from our darling ultragrrrl. and you’re right, this does sound like cleo, that dog. and belly. so either the oohlas are 12 years too late or i’ve completely grown out of my 15 year old self.
5/23/06 2:28 pm
I hate Ultragrrrl.
5/25/06 7:44 am
i love her. take that!
6/8/06 5:10 pm
The Oohlas rock so bad. Love them