Brooklyn Rockers Dolly Spartans Turn Tragedy to Triumph with “It’s Not Easy” [Stream]

There are a few current bands out there who revive my love for guitar music, and one of the most recent is the impeccably named Dolly Spartans, whose lean, fizzy garage pop conjures up Fidlar and early Strokes. Last year, the band’s guitarist died suddenly from a drug overdose at age 22, which led front man Michael Eliran to channel the loss of his best friend into the band’s sophomore EP, Time Sides With No One, out now on Blue and Lucky. “It’s Not Easy” walks a distinct tightrope between hypnotic Radiohead-esque melancholy and thrashing punk dystopia. A solid and original blend of influences that’s tied together by Eliran’s emotionally fueled presence and the band’s dynamic backing.