Death Valley Girls have drip-fed fans the first track from their latest EP with the title-track, ‘Breakthrough‘. Orginally covered by Atomic Rooster when pressed Death Valley Girls said they’d found the record through a version by Nigerian outfit, The Funkees.
Breakthrough instantly captivates you. Its pulsing, hyper-charged, scuzzy rock, the riff, the tone, the building sound gripping the audience, the new track is a hard-hitting instant classic: hypnotic lyrics and complex grittiness.
The original song is a lot more mellow in comparison and more traditionally resonate with the Garage/Glam Rock scene of the seventies. In contrast, Death Valley Girls have successfully put their spin on the classic, which can often be the hardest part when trying to cover songs. It has the distinctive sound of rocking guitar married with the trio’s harmonic vocals.
Speaking about the track, Bonnie Bloomgarden of Death Valley Girls said “‘Breakthrough‘ is a song we were super into then became obsessed with once we found the lyrics! They are about breaking free from an invisible prison. At the time, we were studying Damien Echols, of the West Memphis 3, and his ability to overcome being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned on death row for 18 years. He became a magician, master meditator, and learned how to astral project. We asked him for a few tips on how energy, intention, and music can keep you strong in these strange times.”
The b-side is another cover — an amplified version of Daniel Johnston‘s ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll / EGA‘ a more bittersweet song for Death Valley Girls infouenced by the time they had the opportunity to work alongside Johnston as his backing band briefly. Ultimately, the two songs have a deep and profound connection to Death Valley Girls.
The latest EP from proto-punk, desert rockers Death Valley Girls will be available on a seven-inch in a limited edition one-time pressing of 750 copies on Half Purple & Half Black coloured vinyl on June 12, 2020, released on Suicide Squeeze Records, also home of fellow Los Angeles band, L.A. Witch.
