Rhythm ’n’ telepathy from Warpaint

By Hazel Sheffield

Friendship is the foundation of the LA band Warpaint. As children in Oregon, Theresa Wayman and Emily Kokal sang harmonies on "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" on the way to school and swapped Sheryl Crow CDs. They left town together, saw the world together, and landed on the West Coast to form Warpaint with two sisters, Shannyn Sossamon and Jenny Lee Lindberg, on Valentine's Day 2004. In the studio, these shared experiences lent intimacy to the swirling, dream-like sound of "The Fool" (2010, with Stella Mozgawa replacing Sossamon on drums). On stage, that intimacy turns into an almost telepathic connection. They don't so much play the songs as unravel them, spinning out jams that slide between minor keys and drum patterns, to dizzying effect. Three long years of live improvisation have seeped into their second album, called simply "Warpaint". With crisp production from Nigel Godrich and Flood, the results are as rhythmic and thrilling as their gigs. ~ Hazel Sheffield

Warpaint album, Rough Trade, Jan 20th (Jan 21st in America); now streaming. Tour (Britain, Australia, Europe) Jan 23rd to Mar 1st