Los Angeles surf rock outfit SadGirl is a band out of time. The trio sounds like they could’ve been pulled straight out of the underbelly of the 1950s and 60s, shooting the shit with the greasers and the fledgling punks. Their recordings often sound like tape hiss coated in cigarette smoke, a level of nonchalance and sneer that’s too palpable to fake. Earlier this summer they released the dystopian sock-hop tones of “Breakfast For 2,” a song they say they imagined living in the same space as classics like “Johnny B Goode” and “It’s My Party.” Now we get to really hear what it’s like when the band does take on a timeless favorite with their cover of Link Wray’s epic instrumental “Jack The Ripper” from the upcoming Breakfast For 2 7-inch, out Aug. 17 via Suicide Squeeze.
“I’m a big fan [of Link Wray] but I’m also a huge fan of the late Israeli neo-rockabilly / surf guitarist Charlie Megira, who passed away in November 2016,” guitarist Misha Lindes shares in a statement. “Charlie has an amazing version of 'Jack the Ripper.' So our version is really an homage to Charlie as much as it is to Link Wray.”
The band finds an astounding balance between the classic tones of the original and Megira’s rendition, turning the song into a feverish, slow burn that feels like the onset of a heat stroke. Lindes’ guitar sizzles like an egg on concrete on the hottest day of the year, but he’s not the only formidable force at play. Drummer David Ruiz’s playing feel like a sinister act of hypnotism, circling around and around until you’re completely frozen in place by the sheer magnitude of the rhythms. Meanwhile, Dakota Peterson’s bass riff plods low and out of sight, a constant presence stalking behind you that always seems to disappear once you turn around. When all three elements come together, it’s an unnerving, exciting, and completely engrossing affair.
Stream the song below and pre-order the 7-inch now.
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