Some people might think that rock ‘n’ roll’s just a young man’s game, but those people are idiots. That fact becomes blindingly clear when you hear Brooklyn’s Obits, a group of rock ‘n’ roll vets that still make music that’ll punch ya in the gut.
The four fellas in Obits already had pretty impressive rock resumes before getting together. Guitarist and singer Rick Froberg was in Drive Like Jehu and also sang with punkers Hot Snakes before teaming up with Obits’ other singer/guitarist Sohrab Habibion, late of D.C.’s Edsel. The pair formed Obits after Hot Snakes called it quits in 2005. Joining them are bassist Greg Simpson and drummer Alexis Fleisig. Obits joined up with Sub Pop and released their debut disc I Blame You in 2009, followed by 2011’s Moody, Standard and Poor.
Obits has just slipped a new single from their upcoming LP Bed & Bugs (out September 10 on Sub Pop). “Taste the Diff” is a hard-chargin’ tune. A Stooges-y riff drives the tune, and Froberg rips and tears his vocal chords darn near to shreds (you can kinda hear where Deer Tick’s John McCauley nicked his own throat-shredding vocal chops from). Just when you think the song is done, the band digs in harder with some arty sauce to boot. The dudes in Obits have been around the block a few times, but the road to rock ‘n’ roll is one that just gets better and better the longer you travel.
