If you haven’t checked out Georgia-based post-punk band Warehouse yet, we highly encourage you to do so. You’ll hear Smiths-like guitar parts, Bowie-like bass runs, and Elaine Edenfield’s unique vocals as they alternate between melodic and rough while staying emotionally evocative throughout. While these influences are on the surface, guitarist Ben Jackson made us this playlist to give us insight into some of the less obvious sources of inspiration for the band. Make sure to check out the group’s new record, super low, out now on Bayonet Records, and enjoy!
–Dave Lucas, Talkhouse Marketing Manager
Tom Ze – “Curiosidade”
For the writing in Warehouse we draw heavily from the guitar playing of bossa nova and tropicalia music. There is too much great music to include everything that we are into, but if I could only show one Tropicalia player it would have to be Tom Ze. “Curiosidade” is great example of how he could mix elements of rock and jazz into the rich, broad history of Brazilian music to create something beautiful, intricate and bizarre.
Marcos Valle – “Nem Paleto, Nem Gravata”
Another slight connection to the tropicalia movement and long-time favorite would be Marcos Valle. I chose this song because it shows not only his amazing pop sensibility but also a sense of humor. A good reminder that sometimes music just needs to be fun.
Love Tractor – “Seventeen Days”
We’ve been pretty open about our love for the 1980s Athens, Georgia, music scene and one of the bands I’ve felt the most connected to from that time is Love Tractor. Sometimes instrumental, sometimes with vocals, their music always captures a sense of intelligent southern Americana that you really can’t find anywhere else. To me, this music sounds like being a band from Georgia in a way that is easier to feel than describe.
Hoops – “Feelin’ Fine”
This one is a modern banger from our friends Hoops in Bloomington, Indiana. I feel like we have a lot in common with Hoops in terms of influence and approach, but we just took those ideas and ran in two different directions. Love these guys and love this band. Can’t wait for more new stuff.
The Clientele – “We Could Walk Together”
This is one we all got really into on our recent tour with Frank Combos. We listened to it so many times on repeat I’m surprised any of us can still stand it. Shoutout to the guy in Nashville who sound-checked with the main riff from this song while wearing a Beach Fossils shirt. Damn, that dude knows what’s up!
Bongwater – “Free Love Messes Up My Life”
Another classic tour hit, this one reminds me of one of our early tours of the Northeast. It always ends up coming back for me this time of year. Reminds me of driving north into Canada, watching cars spin on the icy roads, and promising myself to never book Canadian shows in the winter ever again.
Joao Gilberto – “Desafinado”
I’ve learned so much about the guitar by attempting to play through Joao’s music. The first minute and a half of this song has more unique chord shapes than the average rock record and they all flow together perfectly. Truly one of the great performers of his time.
Polish Nails – “Playful Strands”
There are a lot of bands that come out of Atlanta now, especially in the past couple of years, but when we first started, the scene felt intimate and like we were just making music for each other. One of the most important bands of that time was Polish Nails. Violently intellectual and aggressively true to their intention, Polish Nails was a form of precision-executed chaos. This song, and corresponding video made by their drummer Patrick Mayer, is an intro to one of my favorite Atlanta groups.
Palm – “You Are What Eats You”
One of the best bands we’ve had the pleasure of touring with, Palm makes some of my favorite current music. Their records are amazing, but for me Palm is about the live experience and this song was always one of my favorites to see them play.
Balkans – “Edita V”
The first time I ever met our drummer, Doug, he and I went with a mutual friend to see Balkans. Seeing Balkans play was one of the first things in Atlanta that opened us up to the idea that we could actually start a band and make music ourselves. There is a good chance that Warehouse wouldn’t exist if Balkans hadn’t come first.
Red Sea – “In the Salon”
The first time Dustin [of Beach Fossils and Bayonet Records] ever contacted us about joining up with Bayonet, he sent me a Facebook message explaining the label and what he wanted to do with it. I was at home and the second I got the message I walked down the hall to my roommate Kyle Sheril’s [of Red Sea] room. He had just gotten the same message.
At the time, we thought that maybe Dustin was contacting a bunch of people, but it was pure coincidence that he messaged us both. Dustin had no idea we were even both in Atlanta, much less in the same house. It’s a fitting example of the parallel lives Red Sea and Warehouse have lived. As long as we have been making music in Atlanta, Red Sea has never been far, at times literally practicing and writing music in the next room over. It felt incredibly fitting that of Bayonet’s first releases were our album, Tesseract, and Red Sea’s In the Salon.
Meat – “Highways and Trees”
I wanted to finish of this list with something more homegrown. Our drummer Doug is really primarily a guitarist and writer himself, and my favorite song by him is this track off his new album Wasted. This playlist has ended up being a showcase of the music that inspires Warehouse, and that list wouldn’t be complete without music from Doug.
