Tuff Sudz

Video interview conducted by Heather Worley - Owl's Eye

There was an infectious retro vibe about the one song I heard from Tuff Sudz a couple of days ago and it has stuck with me so why not check out their brand new four-song EP?!

“Bag The Money” was the track I heard from these guys a couple of days ago and, just my luck, it’s the track that kicks off this super quick release. I instantly remembered why I was so obsessed with this track the first time I heard it. It’s fast and punchy with an undeniable retro vibe. There’s a graininess to the production of this track that I don’t typically enjoy but, the way it fits the music, there would just be no better way to present this track. Even though Tuff Sudz has a super retro feeling to their music, there’s something fresh about this track. All of those things make this a favorite of mine.

Even though some of the in-your-face attitude leaves for “Brain Schism”, the band still gives you a very Black Keys-esque vibe. It’s still grainy, still retro, and still full of swagger. I found the vocals in this track a little too muffled for my liking but I did like how it gave everything else some time in the spotlight. Overly-distorted guitars and slamming guitars, I love how nothing about this track feels overdone or overplayed yet it all fits into the Tuff Sudz sound so perfect. The composition of this track is a bit odd. At about the two-minute part, I would have sworn we had moved onto the next track but, instead, it was just “Brain Schism” taking a different form. Although this easily could have been two separate tracks, I loved that you get such a different vibe from the first half to the second half of this track.

“Holey Shoes” has an almost Elvis vibe to it that is absolutely perfect for this band. Something about this track is perfectly imperfect and, for a band with this kind of sound, that is brilliant. Honestly, this is just good old-fashioned pool party music. Obviously not something to play during the day but, you know, when the party is winding down and there’s just a few drunken stragglers still up and wreaking havoc while passing a bottle of booze around the table. Okay, I’m trying to paint this picture and realize that if you don’t get it yet, me going more in-depth in it won’t help so I really hope you get the vibe I’m trying to set. If not, just listen to the track and tell me what you feel!

This album ends super suddenly with the forty-second track “Boss of Me”. Honestly, I love the more straight-up punk vibe of this track but hate that it lasts only forty-seconds. After listening to this track around a dozen times, I have myself convinced that this will just be a great lead into their new release because I would probably cry if I don’t get another release from these guys.

My Favorite Track(s): “Bag The Money”

For Fans Of: Retro Vibes; Swagger Attitude

Mosh-ability: 5 out of 10

What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie laid right next to my desk; Autumn slept upstairs

How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 8 out of 10

My Overall Rating: 7.5 out of 10 - Girl at the Rock Shows