The Two Koreas

For a band made up of Toronto music critics, The Two Koreas are surprising good. Apparently, my theory that music writers are always bitter ex-musicians whose dreams were dashed at one time or another isn't always correct. The Two Koreas play an articulate brand of post-punk full of wiry riffs, talky vocals, and charming lyrics about the bleak reaches of Communism. The band injects a breath of fresh air into the old verse chorus verse formula, taking the sounds of The Velvet Underground, Wire, and Pavement and updating them for the 21st century. It doesn't get any better than "Cloth Coat Revolution," which may be a contender for my song of the year.

[Myspace] The Two Koreas
[mp3] "Cloth Coat Revolution"