When I was sick between Thanksgiving and Christmas I remember drinking a bunch of hot toddies. In part because they are supposed to be good for sick people but mostly because they are yummy. Sure it may have not helped at all but that has nothing to do with this review. Whatever you do, don’t call The Hot Toddies a novelty group. On their debut full-length Smell The Mitten this all-girl San Francisco quartet churns out sassy and sarcastic songs full of retro-style surf-inspired 60’s girl-group doo-wop that is (on the surface) so cute it makes me wanna puke. It is sickly sweet, but awesome.
But if you don’t lose your lunch and actually keep listening, you’ll thank yourself. For all the clichés the band walks through there is equally as much substance. And the vocal harmonies supplied by Heidi Bodeson and Erin Skidmore are absolutely perfect in every way. Lyrically (and musically) the band gleefully slides down to the bottom of the hill with fun, whimsical, clever, and intelligent lyrics. It is a little punk, a whole lotta fun, and completely impossible to deny. Smell The Mitten must certainly contain some of the sunniest, most saccharine, sugary sweet melodies and vocal harmonies that have ever been recorded.
My only complaint with this is that the Beach Boys obsession and retro vibe of Smell The Mitten seems a little contrived and sometimes sounds like nothing more than a doo-wop cover band. Or perhaps that’s a compliment and it really is just that good I’m not complaining though since Smell The Mitten is (despite my better judgment) one of the most fun and instantly charming records I’ve heard in awhile. Is it even possible not to like this? Maybe The Hot Toddies are falling in rank behind The Pipettes and The Queers. I don’t even care. I dare you to listen to awesome and hilarious “HTML” and not crack a smile. I triple dog dare you.
Smell The Mitten is out now on Asian Man Records.
MP3 | The Hot Toddies – HTML Smell The Mitten
MP3 | The Hot Toddies – Seattle Smell The Mitten
Related posts:
