Local indie-rock band Positive No have made a strong and, um, positive impression on the Richmond scene ever since they started playing out, and their debut EP, Via Florum, was one of the best releases to come out of RVA in 2013 according to our own Shannon Cleary (and he’s right). Now, the first new song since the band’s debut EP proves that they’re not content to settle into a formula, instead pushing the boundaries of their sound to create some of their best work yet.
Local indie-rock band Positive No have made a strong and, um, positive impression on the Richmond scene ever since they started playing out, and their debut EP, Via Florum, was one of the best releases to come out of RVA in 2013 according to our own Shannon Cleary (and he’s right). Now, the first new song since the band’s debut EP proves that they’re not content to settle into a formula, instead pushing the boundaries of their sound to create some of their best work yet.
“Automatic Cars,” which will be the A-side of Positive No’s contribution to the Negative Fun Singles Club, starts out with the combination of Tracy Wilson’s gorgeous vocals and Kenneth Close’s shimmering melodic leads we’ve come to expect from this quartet, but from the start there’s an undercurrent of dissonant guitar noise hinting that all may not be business as usual. A drum break after the first verse appears to be leading into a more melodic chorus, but this is a bait-and-switch, instead dropping us into a syncopated postpunk riff you can almost imagine Fugazi coming up with. While the band gestures back to the opening melody a couple more times over the rest of the song, “Automatic Cars” maintains an edgy, dark mood, with Wilson giving us a far angrier vocal performance than usual. Positive No may be great with melody, but on this track, they’re proving that’s not the only way they can capture your attention.
The 2014 Negative Fun Singles Club, a project of Raleigh’s Negative Fun Records, will continue on through the rest of this year, featuring EPs from RVA’s own Hot Dolphin, as well as Philly’s No Other, North Carolina band Midnight Plus One, and Cali punks The Bad Daddies. Subscriptions to the entire series are still available for $50, which includes all 5 EPs, a cassette compliation of all the music from this year’s Singles Club releases, buttons, stickers, and possibly a few surprises! Order your own subscription from Negative Fun HERE.
And come to the Positive No Singles Club EP release party on Friday, August 29! The show is a combined record release party for the band’s new EP and the long-awaited LP by short-lived post-Young Pioneers band Teargas Rock, who will play their only RVA reunion set as part of this extravaganza. The show will also feature a set from Dischord recording artists Alarms & Controls, and it takes place at Black Iris Gallery/Studio, located at 321 W. Broad St. Admission is $5, doors open at 7 PM. For more info, click here.
