Move In Tight!

The Love Me Nots; David Ahlen
@ Pianos
New York, NY - May 25, 2007

When you think about it, most sections of this country have at least one good garage rock band to represent them. The Bamboo Kids (among others) rule the Northeast. The Woggles represent the South. The Dirtbombs (among others) still hold dominion out of the Midwest. But what about the West? California and the West Coast in general is too loopy to have one, or even a handful, of signature garage bands to label as "THE" band. But now the Southwest has its band. THE band out of Phoenix, Arizona: the adorably feisty and punchy Love Me Nots.
Garage sounds of any stripe, and retro-looks to boot - have mostly worn thin over the last couple years but if you really mean it, and you mean it by supplying your look and panache with an earnest, authentic, and quality sound, then it pays off. And with the Love Me Nots it pays off in a big way. "Move In Tight" leads an array of numbers that re-invigorate, refresh, and re-energize the garage rock sound. With a spot-on lead female singer who terrorizes a Farfisa with abandon and a guitarist who recalls Dick Dale and Horton Heat in a single chord, the Love Me Nots are one of the bands of 2007, hands down.
And may I be so bold as to say I "discovered" this band before Little Steven did? May I? With no consequence or actual meaning? Thank you. Because I did.
David Ahlen is a moving, touching Stockholm guitarist who taps into the most sentimental but serious vein of acoustic pop. Chilling in that Nordic, Odin sort of way.