DOWNLOAD: Cool Devices

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on May 21, 2009 6:40PM

When Jason Frederick learned that one of the bands he had founded and then disbanded had reformed and were playing without telling him, we guess his feelings got a little hurt. It also provided the stimulus for him to kick off a new band under the moniker Cool Devices and storm Electrical Audio in Chicago to craft a protest album. While the disc was originally supposed to exorcise Frederick's "playful angst" towards his former bandmates, what ended up emerging was firestorm of '60s inflected fuzzed-out punk rock anthems centering on various themes besetting society today. In Frederick's words "...these songs are calling on all people, everywhere to give up ideologies that don't work."

O.K., that last bit sound more grandiose than it actually is since the resulting album rails against the usual punk rock targets like failed societal mores, war, racism, etc. What makes the disc so enjoyable are the melodies and the vintage feel that warms the production around the torrent created by relentless guitars, drums, and organs.

Sample their track "fatso" below, and if you dig that go ahead and download the whole Cool Devices album for free!

MP3: Cool Devices "fatso"

DOWNLOAD: Cool Devices - Cool Devices

Cool Devices plays on Thursday, May 28, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W Belmont, 9 p.m., $8, 18+