Seattle’s Gazebos, the newest group to join Hardly Art‘s currently stellar roster, are fronted by in-demand tattoo artist Shannon Perry, who has a powerful voice and presence not unlike that of The Nuns’ Jennifer Miro; their unique sound can be best described as “glam no-wave,” all leopard print and black matte, discordant changes and venomous, restless energy, the shimmer off of broken sequins. All members of the band are seasoned musicians and scene mainstays (guitarist TV Coahran runs GGNZLA Records and is a current and regular collaborator with cult hero R. Stevie Moore). The band’s debut LP, Die Alone, was recorded to 8-track by The Fastbacks’ garage-pop king Kurt Bloch. Here, Gazebos share the first track, “I Don’t Wanna Be Here,” an anxious and definitive push against the dictates of femininity from our parents’ generation (this idea of pushing forward, creating something truly new and vibrant in order to rectify past injustices, is what unites the tracks on Die Alone, none of which follow pre-established paths). “What power do you seek over people?” Perry asks plainly. “It should be nothing.”
Die Alone is available for pre-order from Hardly Art. You can stream “I Don’t Wanna Be Here” below, and for a look inside Perry’s tattoo studio, check out our Seattle tour photos here.
