the black tones’ “plaid pants” is alt-rock transcendence

Seattle alt rock duo The Black Tones captured our hearts this fall with their anti-fascist video game for single “They Want Us Dead.” This time around, what their latest single lacks in 8-bit antifa goodness, “Plaid Pants” more than makes up for in sludgy grooves and raw vocal power. The twin (literally, they’re twins) energy of Eva and Cedric gives the song a kind of lived-in vibe. Their unique interplay transforms the 3-minute, 2-chord breakdown that anchors the middle of the song from something that in someone else’s hands might be self-indulgent into something approaching transcendence.

The song is currently offered as a free download on The Black Tones’ Bandcamp page. Grab yourself a copy, and if you’re in the Seattle area, check out their release show for their debut album Cobain and Cornbread April 11th.