PANTHERS

Band: PANTHERS

Genres: Punk / Rock / Post-Hardcore / Garage Rock / Sass Rock
Related artists: Orchid, Ritual Mess, Violent Bullshit, The Red Scare and Pitchblende.
Country: New York City, New York USA
Years Active: 2000-2008
Song: "It's Not the Heat It's the Humidity"
Album: "Let's Get Serious"
Year: 2003
Label(s): Dim Mak / Vice Records / Troubleman Unlimited / City Slang / Permanent Vacation / Insound 7" Box Series / DFA
This post's artist is from the April 2015 Mix. This is track #9.
You can download: the April Mix#4 right here or get the new May 2015 Mix#5 here.
For fans of: Teenage Swoon, Creepozoidz, Meth And Goats, Daniel Striped Tiger, Wolves, Aim Of Conrad, Rye Coalition, Death From Above 1979, Big Dick, Hugs, (the) International Noise Conspiracy and Orchid.

Have you spent endless nights hoping upon hope that the members of Orchid would start a sassy, post-hardcore, garage-rock band? You have?!?!?! Well shit, this may or may not be a little late but PANTHERS did just that. With Jayson Green starting PANTHERS after the Orchid breakup he lays down some foot-stamping, tongue in cheek vocals that pick up right where the 'Gatefold' LP finished off. Almost all of the screaming has been chucked out the window but the urgency, passion and sexually-driven lyrics still comes across full force. Now, I don't necessarily love all of the band's material (as the first album 'Are You Down??' doesn't have any songs that I love - but is very indicative of the sound the band is known for), but when they hit the mark they are fucking spot on. I personally find that PANTHERS' sophomore effort 'Let's Get Serious' is their best and most consistent work. So, let's start there.

"Thank Me With Your Hands" is the opener and it's fucking stellar. Think the (International) Noise Conspiracy mixed with Orchid's softer material and you've basically already heard the song. At the 1-minute mark the guitars really kick in with a few biting tongue lashes. "It's Not the Heat, It's the Humility" is the second song and it takes the opener to a new level, with some licks that are so rock they border on surf solos (see 0:28 and 1:18). It's easily is one of the strongest tracks by the band and was the song that I used for the mp3 blog mix last month. If you check only one song make it this. Amazing stuff that ends up reminding me of Wolves and Rye Coalition. Directly following the first two tracks is my third favourite "Post-Fascist Fantasies" which has some really great guitar work (big surprise, eh?), driving drums and seething vocals. The little solo dealy at 33 seconds is awesome and continues through when the vocals are added - it's probably the coolest part of the song, although the ending "yeah"s are pretty darn engaging.

2004's 'Things are Strange' begins with "Legally Tender" and its strength is ultimately the album's demise as this song is too strong when compared to the rest of record, with "Stroke My Genius" being the lone exception that comes close. 2007's 'The Trick' has only one song that gets my blood pumping and that's "Uncertainly". This gem begins with a sweet, subtle 70s rock riff buried in the verses which leads to the best crazy yelling/screaming parts since Orchid at around 50 seconds and again at 1:15 right up until the end. Dag, yo. I wish they had more songs like this.

I've posted the four primary releases here so if you dig the embeds nab those sassy songs and get your sex drive ready.

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DISCOGRAPHY
Click )==>here<==( to download the band's (almost) complete discography in mp3 form.

2002 - Are You Down?? cd/12"LP

2003 - Let's Get Serious cd/12"EP
2003 - Japanther vs. Panthers - Seven Inch Lovers 7"EP (anybody have this?)

2004 - Things are Strange cd/2x12"LP
2004 - Thanks for the Simulacra cd/12"single (pretty much a remix)
2004 - Insound 7" Box Series Volume One (Sons And Daughters split) 7"

2007 - The Trick cdLP

2008 - Goblin City 12"EP (basically just remixes)

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(2007) PANTHERS - "Uncertainly" (from 'The Trick')

(2003) PANTHERS - "It's Not the Heat, It's the Humility" (from 'Let's Get Serious')

(2003) PANTHERS - "Thank You With Your Hands" (from 'Let's Get Serious')

(2003) PANTHERS - "Post-Fascist Fantasies" (from 'Let's Get Serious')

(2004) PANTHERS - "Legally Tender" (from 'Things are Strange')

(2002) PANTHERS - "Are You Down?" (from 'Are You Down??')

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PANTHERS out of print mp3 discography (at least, the majority of it) download

(download here)

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