BIKE COPS - CLOSE COVER, STRIKE GENTLY (CASS)

CLOSE COVER, STRIKE GENTLY, is the third EP from Chicago-based psych rockers Bike Cops. This is the band's first release without the title "Vol. X...", which might indicate the band's intent to take a new direction - strike a new path. Although firmly rooted in the psychedelic rock genre, with fuzzy guitars and long, wigged out solos, they often wander into downright jangly territory - sometimes more Smiths than Pink Floyd. Bike Cops leverage the strengths of their backup singers and bouncy rhythm section to achieve a sound that's at once edgy and danceable. The EP's title is borrowed from the instructions on a book of matches, dramatizing the simple act of ignition, and from the opening notes of "Salmon Sundae" to the explosive last half of "Dog Song," Bike Cops fulfill on that promise. They ignite.

Available on 100 limited-edition clear cassettes, all come with digital download.