It’s seems so old fashioned, to see a band take strong word of mouth of an incredible live show, which they spent basically the whole year perfecting, and run with it to the point Warpaint has. But really, how many bands can really win over such a slew of fans that come to shows unfamiliar and leave in love. It’s a gift to make the unfamiliar intriguing, to make it feel both comfortable and dangerous, and to maintain the drama for an entire set. But the question remained as to how the songs from their debut LP The Fool will sound on record and whether their live show could be captured in spirit without the girls moving to the music, playing both the androgynous-professional and sex-kitten cards at the same time.
Well, first single “Undertow” hits a home-run by capturing all the mystique and sexiness that their live show can provide, while allowing each instrument to stand virtually alone Beginning with the singular guitar strum opening, the song builds its melody using harmonized vocals, while still showing off Emily Kokal as the song’s centerpiece (one cannot forget how she hunches over on stage near the end of this song, taken away in her own undertow). Even the often anonymous bass and drums are stars around the middle of the third minute, when the song fully forms and Warpaint get to put on the kind of display that their set is built on.
So yeah, it’s a jam and it’s only the single edit. Stream it below, then grab The Fool when it hits stores on October 26th via Rough Trade.