Beat Soft Pop: Live at Denver Underground Music Showcase (Debut album available NOW from First Base Tapes!)

Start at the beginning — that is, go to beatsoftpop.bandcamp.com and listen to Nevada right now. I mean it. Beat Soft Pop’s eponymous debut is now available on Bandcamp in its entirety, and honestly, I would recommend just leaving thirty minutes free to lean back and forget the world. It’s worth it. But for those of us strapped for time, deciding which bands to catch at the Underground Music Showcase this weekend, here’s the quick-and-dirty two song low-down:

Beat Soft Pop opens heavy, with Nevada’s pounding bass and washing cymbals, leading into a howled refrain: fall in the dustbowl. It’s harshly melodic, with a cutting, Johnny Greenwood-esque riff. New wave is the base of their sound, but BSP injects elements of noise, surf rock, and jazz into the mix, building songs that are simultaneously heavy and danceable. Live, the bands swings between tight melodic verses and wild, barely controlled choruses.

Second single Wozniak plays in the opposite direction, showcasing the band’s impressive ear for melody. Soulful gang vocals meet dreamy guitar. It’s intimate, catchy, sensual; music you can alternately sway along with and dance to. When the chorus drops, you’ll be singing along for days. The band will be playing at Illegal Pete’s (270 South Broadway) tonight at 11. On the menu this evening: a set based largely in improvised jamming, featuring lead vocals from guitarist Donato Ruscitti. Dig your dancing shoes out of the closet. You’ll need them tonight. Whether you catch them in a stifling basement, a packed living room, or a bustling Mexican restaurant, Beat Soft Pop is a radical band. They’re punky, funky, raucous, earnest; often within the same song. As the members move into new projects and explore a broader sound base together, tonight marks the beginning of a new era for BSP. You’ll want to be there.

Craving more of Colorado’s best underground music? Check out the rest of the First Base Tapes roster here, then head to theUMS.com for merch, the festival schedule, venue information, and more.