SPEEDY ORTIZ had a great album out at the end of last year, “If Speedy Ortiz are ‘slackers’, they’re not not some Nietszche-misquotin’, conspiracy-theorisin’, piff-slingin’ con artist, but rather that hood-lidded savant who turned up to morning lectures behind dark glasses for three years, who started writing at 2am for noon hand-ins, then left the place with honours to their bloodshot eyeballs. Most importantly, Real Hair resolutely refuses to collapse under the weight of its own wordiness. It’s clever, sure, but it’s high-grade, pedal-hopping rock music by the same token.”
The Fat Angel Sings 