Batwings Catwings

The energetic, guitar pop on Batwings Catwings’ Woah EP was about nostalgia without depending on nostalgia musically, which is tougher than it sounds. They’ve now released a video for their excellent song “September” which has a very back-to-school vibe. It opens with a young girl waking up and going through the routine of getting ready, with lingering shots of friendship bracelets and cigar-box pencil cases. And, of course, the most important part: playing with your cat before you take off. Nothing much happens, and it’s over pretty quick — but that’s kind of how September is when you’re going back to school and that’s a major reason why the video is so heartwarming. In the words of BWCW drummer Clay Johnson:

It’s loosely about the first day of school and actually not going ’we should never move faster than nature’ but hanging with a cat named Diego instead. The meaning is up to the eye of the beholder though of course.

Notice the name on the friendship bracelet… - Stereogum

Last year Batwings Catwings put out a video for their song “September.” It didn’t have too heavy of a plot, but the magic of it was in how perfectly it captured the feel of their sunny, nostalgic rock song by showing a little girl getting ready to go back to school and playing with her cat. This new video for “Energy,” the third single off the same EP, is simply a parade of awesome things arranged to reinforce how awesome the song is. That means you will see Batman and Robin headbang, Jaws eating a pizza, and Miles “Tails” Prower (from Sonic The Hedgehog) jumping around. This video has a dozen Pikachus rocking out along with Tom Hanks in the late-’80s gem, The Burbs. Did I mention Worf from Star Trek TNG shows up? Because he does. That’s how great this video is: It has Worf AND Tom Hanks. Batwings Catwings’ guitarist pretty much made the whole thing on his phone. Watch it below. - Stereogum

Noise punk foursome Batwings Catwings is celebrating the release of its new Radio 7?, out now on Gravy. Accompanying the title track and single, “Radio,” is, “Early Exit,” and you can stream the swift little record here, or below, courtesy of Purevolume. The band will also be playing a few shows around its hometown of Los Angeles, dates for which you can see below. By comparison there’s more going on in “Early Exit” that make the references in the band’s promo literature to Prince and experimental tendencies make sense. “Radio” begins with singer Dana Poblete monologue-ing about trends for a solid minute before the rest of the band comes crashing in. As a record, it’s a taste-test, but there’s enough there to make us want the full meal. - CMJ

spoofing Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' relationship, the appropriately wild clip is for the Los Angeles bands new single which is out now. - NME

If you find yourself lacking noise and keyboard ya-yas in your life then get a load of Batwings Catwings strobe-edit styled video for "Early Exit." Having released their first mini-album Peacock Collection in early 2011 and later their Radio single on Gravy Records, their devotion to pop-crafting proves as strong on their B sides as their A side. Check out BC as they take on the LA scene where the band claims, "where surfing and skating are king." - IMPOSE

So. How is that New Year’s resolution to eat better coming along? If you’re finding yourself losing ground to the creeping paunch, Los Angeles no-wavish noise-poppers Batwings Catwings are here to help. Endless Summer is the first single from the just-released Peacock Collection EP, which was birthed at L.A.’s Infrasonic Studios with an assist from engineer Pete Lyman (No Age, Best Coast, Abe Vigoda). I can’t help but think people would have more success with their diet and exercise regimens if gyms simply played the Endless Summer video on loop in the cardio room. In fact, why stop there? Let just take things to their natural conclusion and hire Batwings Catwings frontdemon Dana Poblete and her Lydia Lunchesque pipes to teach Zumba classes. - My Old Kentucky Blog

A baby busted for Skittle possession, a mysterious bespectacled man and a law-breaking duo on a joyride: This is the cast of characters in L.A. fivesome Batwings Catwings’ new ‘Whoa’ video, premiering today on Diffuser.fm.

“Don’t worry about anything, OK? I’m gonna do something really good this time,” a father tells his baby at the start of the clip, right before a ragtag team of thieves steal his car … and his child. The video has its fair share of ridiculous moments, but it’s also soundtracked by one of the summer’s best jams

‘Whoa’ is a three-chord banger that blasts along with laser-cannon guitars and anthemic cymbal smashery. On their brand-new EP, also titled ‘Whoa,’ Batwings Catwings prove they can do this brand of pop-punk better than just about anyone.

Check out the video for ‘Whoa’ below — and see if you can solve some of the lingering mysteries. Where on earth was that dad going to? How come that baby was arrested? So many questions, so many laughs. - Diffuser.fm

In this sweet premiere for LA-based Batwings Catwings video "September", we learn to not hate back-to-school so much after all. It features a precious little thrasher who goes by Harlow as she gets ready for the return of fall and the inevitable reentry into the school year. The video makes that prospect seem more fun than frightening, especially when a lovely little cat and a handful of dandelions get involved. "September" is a joyful and noisy track, which gives the lyric "All summer, I've just been sleeping in" an underlying sadness despite all the sun-tinged bliss.

This track comes from Batwings Catwings Whoa EP, which you can pick up at this link. - Impose

The phrase ‘early exit’ is applicable to so many different social instances, but the one that particularly caught the attention of Los Angeles band Batwings Catwings was that of Kim Kardashian’s short-lived marriage to Kris Humphries. The song “Early Exit” was not written specifically for the ill-fated couple, but with the completion of the song occurring around the same time as the divorce, even singer Dana Poblete admits that it “almost feels like [they] wrote the song for Kim K and Hump!”

As seemed appropriate, although the song was originally just a b-side to last year’s “Radio” single, they felt they needed to make a video to expand upon this connection. The band then worked with cinematographer Satomi Sugiyami and Editor Angie Meng to create an appropriately lo-fi and DIY video that incorporates the sadness of their marriage (using actual footage) with the fun of the song itself (by including nicely cut together wild shots of the band’s electrifying performances). The result is a striking video that will keep you engrossed despite its simplicity. - BPM

LA band Batwings Catwings sort of sound like the b3sci blog distilled into a band. Lovers of punk and metal but with an affinity for top 40 and hip hop BC are definitely b3 kindred. Heavy guitar music with great pop songwriting sensibility gets us really excited. We’re psyched to debut the band’s track for “Early Exit” b/w “Radio” (which you can download here for free). - Blahblahbladscience

Their greasy food-lovin’ video for “Endless Summer” first enamored us with LA-based band, Batwings Catwings. Now they’ve announced a new7? vinyl single that will be available this October 24th.

A-side, “Radio,” again recorded with band fav Eric Nordhauser at his LA-based Infrasonic Studios (No Age, Best Coast, Fools Gold, Abe Vigoda, Wavves), starts off a little more tender than we’ve come to expect from frontwoman Dana Poblete, but the track soon explodes and rages forward, ending just in time to leave you begging for more. - MOKB

This week's TOP TEN!
1. Batwings Catwings - Radio 7" - Origami Vinyl

Los Angeles band Batwings Catwings has been on my radar for a bit here and their new 7? for song “Radio” is available on November 1st via Gravy Records. We have the title track for you to download below. It’s a good one! - One Thirty BPM

Don’t let the outlandish name fool you. Batwings Catwings is a rock and roll group whose energetic and catchy sound can really get the party going.

The band got its start playing grimy Los Angeles punk venue The Smell where other acts such as No Age, HEALTH, Mika Miko, Abe Vigoda, and The Mae Shi also polished their sounds. They’ve gone on to become one of the local scene’s truly on-the-brink acts, with a previous release even becoming a bestseller at legendary LA record store Origami Vinyl. - LAmb

Batwings Catwings' name might be Halloween-appropriate, but their unique brand of pop-ready, grungy punk rock is anything but spooky. Raised on a combination of metal, 90's hip hop, Prince and the noise punk made famous at LA venue The Smell, by bands like Abe Vigoda and The Mae Shi, Batwings Catwings is an undeniable combination of compelling, accessible and just dirty enough to really get your blood pumping. - Purevolume

L.A.-based Batwings Catwings recently released this EP on Indian Gold Records and the band throws down 4 energetic and enticing tracks where dance-pop pep and melody mixes equally with punk rock menace and noise. The urge is great to shout along with vocalist Dana Poblete’s sing-talking exclamations, all while moshing to the dynamically churning rhythms of Clay Johnson on drums, Pepper Glass on guitar, and Josh Crampton on bass.

Dana is ready to rumble on the chanting anthem “Jealousy” as she sing-shouts “It’s getting heavy / It’s getting out of control.” The guys have an assured command of the rhythms so that the tune doesn’t devolve into messy chaos, but treads that borderline with detuned guitar belligerence that recalls “Aneurysm” by Nirvana. At one point Dana exclaims “I want your full attention.” She’s got it.

“Endless Summer” erects noisy slabs of guitar, drums, and cymbal crash on the verses, then maneuvers into a dreamy vocal chorus with Dana sighing the song title longingly. The EP’s title song is the band’s most developed number with Dana’s vocals alternating between a Kathleen Hanna-styled inflection and a moodier tone that verges on melancholic. The constantly choppy churn of guitars, drums, and cymbals keeps the energy high and reflects the modus operandi of the band. - Adequacy

Their cacophonous blend of posturing post punk bass lines, obnoxiously grating vocals and oddball synths merging droney rock with doomy vocals and a fun party vibe that ultimately melts into a wavey synth dance attack, it could just be a matter of time.

- Artrocker

Peacock Collection (EP) contains perhaps the most chaotic music you can possibly dance to. Batwings Catwings ferocious punk rock energy is irresistible and undeniable... - LA RECORD

"September", Batwings Catwings have compiled a host of their favorite GIFs and patched them together in a new video for "Energy". The clip provides just that—a ton of fanciful energy, showcasing sharks eating pizza and J-pop legen Kyary Pamyu Pamyu doing what she does best (act weird). The track comes from Batwings Catwings' Whoa EP, which is out now on Higher Life. - Impose

“Batwings Catwings are the perfect sound for the season. (Thats like a terrible dad joke, isn’t it?) Anyway, born from the ashes of two other LA bands, Puppy Dog and TPF!, this troupe is fierce and friendly, punk and refined, happy and angry and all those contradictions that add up to the
rock n’ roll spirit.” - 20 Jazz Funk Greats - 20 Jazz Funk Greats

Batwings Catwings are a skate-rock quintet whose songs could double as the wind passing through your hair. Their new single “Totally Outrageous,” which serves as our first taste of their upcoming EP Coast To Coast, offers a muscular take on breezy pop-punk, one that encompasses the expanse between vocalist Dana Poblete’s apathetic hiss on the verses and her fired-up roar on the chorus. Lyrically Poblete’s in a fog with the shades drawn, declaring that she’s “Been sick/ Been losing it/ When the sun comes out I get up but I’m down.” Yet the band ramps up the tension of the words with palm-muted guitars warming-up into acrobatic cartwheels that bring out the energy in her tragedy. Here’s the band describing the song’s Grant Kirkpatrick-directed video: - Stereogum

Batwings Catwings are a skate-rock quintet whose songs could double as the wind passing through your hair. Their new single “Totally Outrageous,” which serves as our first taste of their upcoming EP Coast To Coast, offers a muscular take on breezy pop-punk, one that encompasses the expanse between vocalist Dana Poblete’s apathetic hiss on the verses and her fired-up roar on the chorus. Lyrically Poblete’s in a fog with the shades drawn, declaring that she’s “Been sick/ Been losing it/ When the sun comes out I get up but I’m down.” Yet the band ramps up the tension of the words with palm-muted guitars warming-up into acrobatic cartwheels that bring out the energy in her tragedy. Here’s the band describing the song’s Grant Kirkpatrick-directed video: - Stereogum

We tend not to give Southern California much credit, even when it’s due, but one thing they do get right is their alt-rock music. Listening to Batwings Catwings — or better yet, seeing them live — will without a doubt be the most fun you’ve had since The Offspring’s “Americana” or the days of Blink 182. Remember the music of the late ‘90s? It was a great time for Alt-Rock, full of punk-y vibes and upbeat, fast-paced music that just made you want to move around at shows.

Maybe it was partly the fact that we weren’t yet adult-ing, but shows were also a lot of fun then… We didn’t even think about de-stressing or unwinding. We ran around, kept ourselves busy, and sought out stimulation… and that exact thrill and excitement is exactly what Batwings Catwings have captured. Except better — because they have the talent of lead-vocalist Dana Poblete to set them apart.

There’s a lot that we love about their new single, “Breathless.” Their musical style takes us back to the days when, even if we didn’t partake, a mosh pit was a guarantee. Sitting wasn’t an option because the music is too enlivening, exhilarating, and will totally pump you up. But Dana’s vocals add in an element of refinement and appeal. It’s pretty in a badass way and we love it.

Listen, watch, and check out if they’ll be performing live near you (unless you’re in Japan, no such luck yet)— we’ll totally be at Long Beach. - Impose