Automatic Children: Johnny 7"

8.5

Automatic Children have been a group for years. Their newest seven inch, released on multi-colored vinyl, is a college radio rock single. The way The Strokes were described as in between the 80’s and 90’s, so are Automatic Children. They don’t exactly fit into either decade, but obvious influences of both are connected. Side A- “Johnny” is sung by Crista Giuliani, the female lead of this band. It’s a song about an old friend, and the music feels that way as well, like a beloved song you haven’t heard in a while and missed. It’s garagey, grungey, and punked out with a toe tapping drum beat and a memorable guitar hook. The flip side- “Now you know” is a classic cookie-cutter Pixies song, but fresh and new vocally. Guitarist and singer- Adam Lippman’s vocals show an innocence and uniqueness apart from Frank Black’s voice, closer to Paul Westerberg or Matthew Sweet. It’s more like the early indie-pop records played on college radio by that DJ that insists on blasting The Smiths like they’re a power-rock band. These are songs that bring back memories of youth and pop culture before it was taken over by tampered social media and self-gratifying facebook fans. Both tracks are noteworthy for their melodic hooks and sentimentality. If nostalgia can be melted into a record, Automatic Children offer that reaction and emotion, and on beautifully colored vinyl too.