We Are Nots

A longtime collaboration between Natalie Hoffmann (guitar) and Charlotte Watson (drums), Nots has evolved into its wildest incarnation yet. Now featuring Madison Farmer on bass and Alexandra Eastburn on synthesizer, the Memphis band follows up their first two singles on Goner Records with their guitar-driven, synth-laden debut LP. We Are Nots was put to tape over the summer by Doug Easley and arrives just in time to land a spot on your Top Ten of 2014. “There’s a constant post-mortem and excavation of the Memphis music underground by vultures of both the Euro and American varieties. Bands form, toil and scheme, mutate, play and record only to wither away in the seemingly unrelenting wall of indifference. Plod ahead a few years, label X or label Z discovers and excavates the musical rubble as much for autocratic as historic purposes. A gold star and a box of records to the winner. “Nix the assertion Nots are a side project, a spin off, a revival of some fashionable subset of your record collection. Evolving headstrong, their white noise is without compromise or concession. Brass venom yelled atop a torrent of twisted guitar shards, so human, barbed and unruly. Obliterate the retroactive retreat; Nots are now.” —John Hoppe

Received a 7.8 rating from Pitchfork.