NOSEBLEED EP - Betty White (2010)

Not to be confused in any way with either the persona or upbeat disposition of the venerated television actress from whom this upstart LA-based band takes their name, the music on Betty White's promising, surly, self-released debut EP hearkens back to the classic days of early British punk...those formative years when the bass was rock bottom, the mixes gritty but clear, the vocals delivered with a helium snarl rather than a guttural scream, and the urge to express anger and rage was in no way justification for ignoring the hooks.

Hitting forcefully with six swift, engaging, left-of-center bursts, the whole band acquits itself well, but the clear star is lead singer/principal songwriter/intimidating live presence Robert James, who ferociously combines Johnny Rotten's bullying whine with the demented unpredictability of Les Savy Fav's Tim Harrington.

Well worth checking out, both live and on record. 

Status: Solid Recommend

Cherry Picker's Best Bets: Nosebleed, Middleman, Bathroom Mat.


Track Listing:
1. Nosebleed - 8
2. Middleman - 8
3. Flesh & Spit - 7
4. Old Son - 7
5. Bathroom Mat - 9
6. The Form - 7
Intangibles - Above Average
Spotify! / I-Tunes / Amazon

Here's the official video for Bathroom Mat.