In 2007, Swedish indie-pop label Labrador Records introduced the world to The Mary Onettes, a band that was much, much darker than their light, friendly pop fare. Their self-titled debut album was a ten-song collection of gorgeous post-punk that made stop-offs at crossroads ranging from The Cure, Modern English, The Psychedelic Furs, and Jesus & Mary Chain. Yet they weren’t mere retro pastiche; they were adept enough to make their songs sound positively contemporary, making a racket that sounded great alongside bands such as She Wants Revenge and Amusement Parks On Fire. Personally, my favorite of the lot is “Lost,” a driving, up-tempo number that captures the feeling of cruising around town at midnight after getting dumped. Gorgeous misery? None finer.
The Mary Onettes is available now from Labrador Records.
The Recoup 
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