Return of The Clean

Merge Records has done it again. After 20 years, their finger is more solidly on the pulse of music than ever. But The Clean are not a discovery, rather a rediscovery of a trio of Kiwis that came together in 1978. That rediscovery is capped by Mister Pop, the band's first album in eight years and a collection of tracks that plays out with youthful vigor.

Over the course of 10 brisk tracks (most of which don't break the four minute mark), the band courses through instrumental interludes ("Loog" and "Moonjumper") and hook-laden anthems ("Are You Really On Drugs?" and "Tensile") that boast wiry, surf-rock guitar and low-fi presence. The energy seems brewed in the garage, with an innocence that defies the tenure of The Clean in the music landscape.

While Mister Pop marks a rediscovery of sorts, those uninitiated can count on a proper and worthy introduction to The Clean. After 30 years, it it long overdue.

Learn:
The Clean on Myspace

Listen:
Track 1 - Tensile

Buy:
Merge Records