Album Review: L.A. Witch – 'Play with Fire'
Don’t get burnt, this record is on fire.
The world’s coolest band L.A. Witch are back with their sophomore LP Play with Fire. It’s simple, no bull shit attitude is perfect for anyone looking for a great new rock n’ roll album to check out. If L.A. Witch is a new name for you, expect psych-garage-punk-blues that doesn’t give a fuck. And Play with Fire is exactly that, with it’s crunching yet cool vibe that is similar to Psychocandy-era Jesus and Mary Chain and the Cramps. You can hear this in the lead single ‘I Wanna Lose’ – an anthem in favour of abandonment for personal freedom. The single set the mission statement for the album: “Play with Fire is a suggestion to make things happen […] Say and do what you really feel, even if nobody agrees with your ideas […] I want to inspire others to be freethinkers even if it causes a little burn.” After all, isn’t this what rock n’ roll is all about?
On the creative process, the band state that “having restrictions forces you to think outside the box”. It’s a very Jack White way of working, and L.A. Witch have nailed it. Check out the garage punk blues similar to The White Stripes in songs such as ‘True Believers’ and, a personal favourite, ‘Sexorexia’.
If you like your guitar music sassy and a little sleazy, dominated by cool riffs, then look no further than Play with Fire.
Words by Matthew Brocklehurst