Together PANGEA w/ Lala lala, Criminal Hygiene
March 22, 2018 @ 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM • $12.50
Day of show tickets availible at the door!
In Fight Club, Edward Norton laments, “I’m a 30-year-old boy!”
You don’t have to grow up all the way, do you? On their latest full-length album and first for NETTWERK, Bulls and Roosters, Together Pangea managed to hit a sweet spot between writing rock ‘n’ roll songs worthy of being hummed twenty years from now and maintaining the brash and ballsy bite fans know and love. The Los Angeles quartet—William Keegan [guitar, vocals], Danny Bengston [bass, vocals], Erik Jimenez [drums], and Roland Cosio [guitar]—essentially get louder by dialing the volume down.
Since they began jamming back in William’s Santa Clarita bedroom, Together Pangea have continually challenged themselves with each subsequent offering. Jelly Jam [2010] poured the gasoline, Living Dummy [2011] struck the match, and Badillac [2014] lit the fire with its revved up nineties rock-inspired flames. Along the way, fan favorites like “Sick Shit,” “Badillac,” and “Offer” would rack up millions of Spotify streams. “Snakedog” became a plot point in a bonkers episode of NCIS and “Sick Shit” soundtracked a trailer for HBO’s Animals, while the group received support from Consequence of Sound, Pitchfork, MTV, Stereogum, and more. Prior to the 2015 release of The Phage EP, produced by The Replacements’ Tommy Stinson, one month tested their mettle like never before.
In between European tours, the musicians holed up in Golden Beat Studios with longtime friend and collaborator Andrew Schubert. Co-producing the album together with mixing by Chris Coady [TV On The Radio, Beach House], Together Pangea tracked to two-inch tape for the first time. Throughout the process, everyone progressed not only as far as chops go, but in terms of vision as well.
The first single “Better Find Out” gallops along on a propulsive and powerful riff before turning on a dime with a chanting hook and surf-inspired lead. “I wrote the lyrics in the studio, which I never do,” he goes on. “The song is about being frustrated with touring and confused about being at home but also that people shouldn’t look to entertainers for answers.”
Elsewhere on Bulls and Roosters, the jangly swagger and bombastic beat of “Sippy Cup” spirals into the bold declaration of youth, “I got a sippy cup, you’ve got your wedding gown.” “The Cold” illuminates that aforementioned use of space with its delicate buildup and calculated tempo as “Money On It” ponders the nature of relationships with a soulful swing. “Kenmore Ave.” proves to be a special moment as it marks the first of three songs—including “Alison” and “Southern Comfort”—that Danny penned for Together Pangea.
Inspired by a John Baldessari painting named “Tips for Artists Who Want To Sell” William saw in the downtown L.A. museum The Broad, Bulls and Roosters speaks to the balance the band artfully wrangles.
It pays off in the end as Bulls and Roosters represents Together Pangea at their boldest, brightest, and best to date.
