Stalkers, “Lady Sonia” 7-inch

cover-lady-soniaStalkers
“Lady Sonia” single
(Oops Baby Records)

You can be forgiven if you lump New York’s Stalkers in with the cavalcade of garage rockers who’ve emerged from the city’s clubs in the wake of the Strokes. Vocalist Andy does share a bit of the New York drawl so effectively used by the likes of Julian Casablancas, Richard Hell, and Joey Ramone, but the delivery’s 100% exuberance on the a-side, the jangly power-pop nugget “Lady Sonia.” The backing vocals are what really make this number bounce along nicely. The “lalalalala” going on during the verses lends the whole track verve and fun, and this is nothing like the cold, boring drone favored by the Strokes.

The b-side, “When We Get There,” is a bit more sedate. Stalkers do a real bang-up job hearkening back to the ’50s crooners without being a nostalgia act. It’s the sort of number you’d like to hear coming out of your car stereo while you do one of those “slow dance in the headlights” things you always see in the movies. I’m sure it’s romantic to dance in the middle of nowhere – I’m just afraid of killing the battery and being stranded, so how ’bout you try it and check in with me?

The single’s limited to a pressing of 500, with 400 on black and 100 on blue. Blue’s a dollar more, but it’s prettier and limited. You pay for those things. They’re both available in the Oops Baby store.

Stalkers – Lady Sonia by Oops Baby Records