The Days of Lore

Obits are a lively bunch

Monday, March 9th, 2009 | musiX | No Comments

I have a soft spot for old folks who play loud rock. By the time you’ve played in a band for 15, 20 years you figure out how to control the noise.

Rick Froberg isn’t old by any means, but in rock years he’s getting up there. Froberg’s been at it for years fronting a long line of noise-making San Diego bands including Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes. He now lives in Brooklyn and fronts Obits, a band that purposely set out to not reinvent the wheel. It’s all about following primal urges here.

As Froberg puts it: “We just go ahead and play the stuff we like, and we don’t worry about originality per se, because that takes care of itself.”

And it must feel pretty damn good—early rock ‘n’ roll dry humps punk, which makes sweet, sweet love to the blues and soul. It sounds like Obits … and a little like CCR. Now if that’s not an endorsement …

Obits formed more or less in 2005 just as Hot Snakes was calling it a day and played its first show about a year ago. A bootleg of said show has been kicking around on the Interwebs ever since. Obits will finally release their debut I Blame You on March 24 on Sub Pop. It’s rock music that will get those endorphins swishing and swirling. If you’re older, you’ll feel as invincible as a teenager. If you’re young (or old), this is the kind of band you want to be in.

“Pine On” - Obits

Tags: Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, I Blame You, Obits, Pitchfork, Rick Froberg, Sub Pop