TARAH WHO? – EP REVIEW


Tarah Who? – 64 Women EP 
Tarah Who?  - 64 Women EP

Release Date: Out Now

Split between LA and Paris, rock trio Tara Who? are something of a breath of fresh air, dancing on a line between a number of influences and genres. With frontwoman Tarah Carpenter at the helm, the three-piece set sail on their new EP, ’64 Women’. Opening track ‘Linger’ kicks in hard with stabbing guitars and drums which are hugely redolent of early Incubus material along with a disorientating mixture of voices and a building energy that does its best to leave you battered, bruised and wishing you were back home. ‘Copycat’ continues in equally brutal form with the clashing guitar work driving things forward like At the Drive-In while ‘Hurt’ takes a step back in to a more trippy place with hints of the Doors in the late-night beats and swirling guitars.

The only comparable band operating right now that I can think of is Welsh trio the Joy Formidable which is high praise indeed. ‘Umbilicus’, for example, has that direct punk-rock energy but mixed in with the kind of psychedelic song writing and approach to musicianship that leaves your head in a real spin. The EP closes out with ‘Numb Killer’ and the intensity is turned up to 11 with the likes of the Distillers and Siouxsie and the Banshees come through the squall of guitars, flailing drums and near-shouted vocals. I don’t think after listening to these five tracks anyone with a pair of ears will still be asking Tarah Who? Do You?