Yoko & the Oh No’s are three kids from Chicago – Max Goldstein on vocals, Max Loebman on guitar, and Stef Roti on drums – a raging trio fueled by Taco Bell, rock & roll myths, and pilfered booze. It doesn’t quite add up how kids this young (Max L. just graduated high school) managed to tap into a vibe this classic.
The band’s self-titled full-length debut, out October 30 on Autumn Tone, is crammed with classic rock riffs, swinging beats, and up front, the sassy, done-up style of Max G. emoting loosely and widly like a young David Johansen fronting the New York Dolls, possessing a crooner’s voice and a taste for style. Dolled up in flashy get-ups, Max G.’s voice is a growly, beefy thing, a rangy tenor that belies his taste for soul shouters. The prevailing mood in modern indie garage rock is one of stylistic indifference, but that’s not how Yoko & the Oh No’s come across; these kiddos don’t just care, they care a lot. Listen to the crashing classic rock chorus of “Heart Attack,” the sneering “She Knows It,” and the distorted R&B groove of “Nobody Wants to Know.” “Talking over radio/on the moonlit drive/We listen to VU/Jane says close your eyes.”
Yoko & the Oh No’s self-titled album is their first for Autumn Tone Records, which has a knack for finding raw young bucks (turn up records by the Orwells, Twin Peaks, and Modern Vices as a testament). Yoko & the Oh No’s recently wrapped up a tour with likeminded rock & roll weirdos The Growlers, blowing minds and connecting with crowds across the Midwest.
Tour Dates:
10/16 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade (Aquarium Drunkard CMJ Showcase)