Warpaint
The Fool
(Rough Trade)

Since 2008, when the Los Angeles-based female quartet Warpaint released their first EP, Exquisite Corpse, and later a cover of David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes,” the band has been a favorite of music aficionados.  Their new album, The Fool, shows what all of the buzz is about.  Featuring some mixing from Siouxsie Sioux, this album sounds like a blend of My Bloody Valentine and the Go-Go’s.

The Fool opens with “Set Your Arms Down,” an ethereal track that is held together with a crisp bass line and is followed by “Warpaint,” which is loaded with a dense ocean of sound.  Next, is the highlight of the album, “Undertow,” a moody and melodic track with gorgeous harmonies echoing off a wall of sound.  “Composure” is another highlight as it breaks from the continuity with an extended intro that features shouting over a bass-driven beat before it dives into a downcast section eventually falling apart as the tempo slows to a crawl.  The band also plays with some acoustic guitar sounds, which add pretty and morose overtones to songs like “Shadows” and “Baby.”

The blend of pop harmonies with shoegazer sounds and funky percussive elements is what really carries the album.  Not every song hits the mark, but the album is a great debut, especially “Undertow,” which is one of the best songs of the year.