Both “Paper Airplanes” and “Iron Eagle” have a chill 70′s rock vibe, without sounding old or stale. The guitar, vocals (Jordan Davis) and keys (TJay Christenson) provide a brightness to the solid rhythm section (Tyler Chicorel on drums, Jon Heibler on bass). The sunny sound has me longing for outdoor summer shows (one of the first times I saw Space Raft was up in Appleton at the Mile of Music festival a couple of years ago where they played in the back of an alley, lit by a brilliant patch of sun on a perfect August afternoon).

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From their liner notes: “The term spoil + destroy is taken from a witch-hunting manual that, to paraphrase, states that even good witches who do not ‘spoil and destroy, but save and deliver’ should be killed. That resonated with us – the idea that, as a woman, your achievements are irrelevant because of your gender.” The tracks on the album back up this sentiment, with grit and without apology, a giant middle finger fuck you to the age of Trumpism. “(What You’re) Good For” leads off the record, bouncing with infectious rage. “Clever Girl” has an ominous groove and seethes with glorious feminist fury (this is probably my favorite track on the record but there are several runners-up). “Hiawatha” is beautifully haunting, deliciously dark. “Boogie Man” and “Girl Hater” are even darker, violently so as the beat revs up to head banging punk. The hashtag of 2016 appears on “Nasty Woman” as does the sane person’s response to climate deniers on “I Believe in Science.” While not my favorite song on the LP, Fox Face’s cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” is intriguing, reimagining the princess hit as a witchy antidote to pop poison.

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Slow Walker performing “Basement” at Mittenfest 2018 tonight in Milwaukee. (That IS snow falling in front of the stage)

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Static Eyes are a hometown Milwaukee trashy, thrashy garage punk band. They formed in 2011 “after The Gut Reactions called it quits. Knocking out loud, trashy rock-n-roll” (quote from bassist Lindsay), they are also – in classic Milwaukee-band-overlap style – 3/4′s of Foxface. The women, Lindsay on bass and Lydia on drums, are the powerful ass-kicking rhythm section, providing the foundation for Lee’s howling, Murder City Devil-esque vocals and Chris’ dirty guitar riffs.

Their first release, “Trouble” b/w “Waves” is blistering garage infused punk swagger, reminiscent (to me, anyway) of the early aught’s Milwaukee band The Mistreaters: snarly yet really danceable.

Static Eyes’ 2013 release is a split with another Milwaukee band, Drugs Dragon, and is more Cramps-like psychedelic garage (The Cramps are one of Static Eyes’ influences, as are Hasil Adkins, Dead Moon and The Gories), from the cover art (by Luke Chappelle) to the slower psychobilly beat to the A side at 33-1/3 rpm and the B side at 45 rpm (I think!!). The B-side is Drugs Dragon playing “Fester/Breed/Scatter” and “Waiting Around to Die” (which, notably, was recorded and mixed by Space Raft’s and RX Drugs’ Jordan Davis; RX Drugs also played at Burnhearts on Saturday), both of which are complete fuzzed-out insanity.

Their latest release, “The Thaw” is the most polished of the three, albeit at an awesome scuzzy lo-fi frantic level. “Blank Tapes” is my favorite, with a minor chord hook that is slinky, dark, menacing and yet totally ass-shaking.

My favorite song from Static Eyes’ Burnhearts’ performance was “Dhamer Faced Dog,” which has a disturbingly hilarious title and showcases Static Eyes’ rhythmic power and hookable riffs in a bite-sized garage punk nugget.

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